Forbidden Love
by Emuqueen
Summary: In a story of love and drama, Zuko is pushed off his ship, ending up on a mysterious island that holds so many secrets... Read more inside, I'm bad at summaries. Filled with plot twists and suspense. Zuko and an awesome OCC.
1. Chapter One: Overboard

Hey everybody- so I've actually already written this story (don't go read it or else you'll spoil it for yourself!) but I was 15 when I wrote it, possibly even 14...and well, now I'm going on 19. I think I can write it better- because I loved that story so much. Therefore! The story that lots of people loved is back! I give you, FORBIDDEN LOVE (oh yes, the title is cheesy, but I was 14, give me a break).

Quick little summary of this… It takes place in the very first book- you just have your main characters. For the most part, this is about Zuko, Zhao, Uncle Iroh, and then some characters that I develop. Keep all that in mind. I'm a huge Zuko fan, always have been, and I don't really like who he ended up with, so I just created my own character. And places. And everything really. Forget the summary- you'll hopefully love it. So…enjoy! Read away my lovely reader J

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Chapter One : Overboard

Flames trickled down the walls, bursting from Zuko's clenched fists. His knuckles were white as he paced back and forth in the small, metal room, mouth in a grimace.

"Prince Zuko, will you calm down," Uncle Iroh said, glancing at his nephew and taking a sip of tea.

Zuko turned on his heel, eyes wide as he exclaimed at his uncle, "Calm down? You want me to calm down after _he _was invited to stay on _my_ ship?!"

"By he, do you mean Zhao?" Uncle Iroh shrugged his shoulders gently. "And yes, we are giving him a ride to the capital of a captured Earth village. Nothing to worry about, so sit down and have some tea,"

Zuko's nostrils flared, a thin puff of smoke raising into the air as he yelled, "I will not have tea!" He turned around quickly. "I'm going for a walk!"

Uncle Iroh raised an eyebrow, his cup half way to his mouth. "But it's late. Must be past midnight,"

"I don't care!" Zuko exclaimed, heading for the door. What did Uncle know about these matters? It didn't matter that they were giving Zhao a ride to the Earth village- what mattered was that Zhao being on his ship picked at his pride. Zhao was not a friend, he was not someone to help. He was someone who flaunted the fact that Zuko couldn't return home- and he probably immensely enjoyed that fact.

Uncle Iroh watched his nephew throw open the heavy door. "Well," he called, "Would you like me to save you some tea?"

Zuko paused for a moment and glanced back at his uncle, still filled with anger. "…Yes, yes I would," He stormed out of the room, leaving his uncle chuckling.

The night air met him, a cool breeze sweeping over his warm skin. It was calming outside- he could think more clearly and focus on his thoughts. Going over to the railing, Zuko looked up at the sky, closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. He hated that man so much- General Zhao. Stretching out his hands, Zuko grasped the railing. There was nothing more that he wanted in life but to go home. To see his room again…the hallways…even such minuscule things like the paintings that hung on the walls. He needed to be home, to belong somewhere and out at sea…he didn't belong anywhere. He was homeless and unwanted. That is, until he found the one thing his father desired…

It was just then that a sudden force interrupted his thoughts- there was no time to react. He felt the five fingers spread out on his back and then he was falling. The calming water below was suddenly rushing up to greet him, swallowing him as if he was nothing but a mere insect.

Up on the railing, a man smirked to himself.

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Nothing looked right underwater. Things were blurry and fuzzy and his eyes stung from the salt water. For a moment, he surfaced, gasping for a breath of air and preparing to let out a yell when a wave struck him, pulling him back under. The sea was rough on him, tossing him and turning him over and over. His body was exhausted as he tried to pull his way towards anything; he could feel himself weakening. Before he knew it, everything went black.

After what felt like an eternity, Zuko groaned. His head was aching; it felt as though a thousand of the avatar's flying bison had just sat on him. He opened his eyes slowly, thankful that the sky was still dark, although the sun was just peaking up above the waterline. Slowly, and cautiously, he tested his body- first he moved his toes, then his feet. He spread out his fingers- was that sand beneath them? He had washed up somewhere then; he supposed that was good, at least he was on land.

Bending his elbows with a groan, Zuko managed to sit up. His entire body felt like it was quivering, he felt so weak.

There was a sound to his right. "Hey!"

He turned his head in the direction of the sound but couldn't make out the figure it belonged to. It was a pretty voice though. Slowly he got to his feet, stumbling slightly as he did so, a hand going up to his head. His hands shook and his knees wouldn't be able to hold him up much longer.

"Hey! You! Look at me!"

That voice again… Zuko stared at the approaching figure, blinking a few times to focus his eyes. It was…a girl? Yes, it was a girl, she had to be about his age. Her hair was long and black with braids and beads woven into it in random places. Her skin was tan, the kind of tan that a person gets from staying out in the sun to long, and she wore a long, thin, flowing skirt. Her entire outfit was flowing in the breeze- even her white, short sleeved shirt. She was without a doubt, one of the strangest girl's Zuko had ever seen before in his life. Something about her just radiated freedom and a sort of wildness that he had never encountered before. She looked beautiful and untamed- and after a moment he noticed, very angry.

"Look at me!" She exclaimed, coming closer to him, though still a good distance away. Waves lapped up against the beach, playing at her bare feet.

"Wha…" Zuko managed to whisper- his throat felt like sandpaper, he couldn't speak to save his life.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The girl snapped, coming to a stop and putting her hands on her hips.

Zuko stared at her, opening his mouth to speak and then shutting it, a sudden wave of nausea hitting him. He felt horrible, like he was going to collapse any moment.

"You're standing all over my garden!" The girl yelled, motioning wildly to the bits of grass mixed into the sand that was scattered beneath him. "It took me a year to make all that grow and you're ruining it!"

The girl stared at Zuko, her eyes crazed and she let out an exasperated gasp, throwing up her hands and turned away. Just at that moment, Zuko felt all the energy in him die out and he fell to the sand with a loud thump.

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Zuko stirred a little in bed, pressing his eyes with his fingertips. Oh, Uncle was going to love to hear about this dream. It was just crazy enough to be up his alley. Floating at sea…washing up on a beach…a crazy girl with a garden that was probably just a bunch of sea weed…

"Stop moving, kay?"

Zuko's eyes sprung open and he sat up quickly, which was a horrible mistake as his stomach clenched and he doubled over with a gasp. He stared at the girl, the same girl as before, who was sitting in a chair that rest against the wall. She smiled at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Told you so," she said with a shrug. She stood up slowly, coming over to where he lay and reached across him to grab a wash cloth from a table. She dipped it in a bowl that sat on a table on the other side of him and wrung it out. "I'm sorry about before, I didn't realize that you were hurt,"

"I'm fine," Zuko rasped out, trying to straighten himself out so he could sit right, but his stomach clenched again.

The girl looked at him for a moment, her eyes dubious, and she set the cloth down. Placing a hand on the back of his neck and the other on the front of his chest, she smiled. "Let me help, kay?" She pushed slightly, helping him to lay back in bed. Zuko stared at her, letting out a breath. This girl, he didn't know who she was or if she could even be trusted, but she did save his life so he owed her at least that much gratitude.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

The girl smiled, glanced at him, and then turned her attention to the wash cloth. "Well, I wasn't about to let you become fertilizer for my garden, now was I…?" She glanced upwards, as if to think about what she just said, and then burst out laughing, dipping the cloth in the bowl of water. Zuko stared at her, his eyes widening just a tad in surprise. She was insane, there was no other explanation.

Without asking, she dabbed his forehead with the wash cloth- Zuko didn't pull away, honestly the cool cloth felt good against his warm skin. He didn't feel quite as exhausted as he had before, and the shaking had stopped for what he could tell. He took this moment to glance around the small room. The walls were made up of logs pulled and tied together. It was a dull room, a quaint one that obviously didn't care much for décor.

His eyes slid to the girl, who was dipping the cloth in the bowl again. "Where am I?" he asked.

The girl grinned widely, glancing at him- her brown eyes were so deep, they sparkled from his question. "Buitenbeentje Island," she said with a laugh. At his expression, she grinned even wider. "I know what you're thinking, but yes, it's real."

Zuko stared at her. There was no way he could be on The Island of the Misfits. He had heard stories of it from other travelers- people knew it was real, it's just that it was so very hard to find. There were tales that the only people who could find it were those who needed somewhere to go- which is why most of it's inhabitants were wanders, the poor, lost folk, and people looking to escape.

"We're very happy that you're here; sometimes we get new folks but nobody ever comes in such a dramatic way like you did," She laughed again and the beads in her hair clinked together. Suddenly she looked at him, tilting her head to the side. "Say, what's your name, stranger?"

Zuko paused for a moment. Here he was on a strange island with people he didn't know. He didn't know if they supported the fire nation or if they completely despised it. If they did despise it, then he would be a prisoner for these people and the chances that they would treat him nicely were slim. He swallowed his pride and offered up the only possible solution- the safest.

"Teken," he lied, "My name is Teken,"

The girl smiled softly, patting the cloth against Zuko's forehead again in a soothing way. "Teken…" she murmured, "What a nice name… My name's Kaori, I'm glad to meet you Teken,"

And with that, she let out another laugh, put the cloth down and left the room with a little wave. Zuko stared after her, unsure whether or not she was sane. He knew though that he had to get off his island as soon as possible. To many things were waiting for him out in the world, to many things needed to be done. He couldn't stay at The Island of the Misfits- after all, he had a home. He just had to get there.

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So, that's the first chapter, I hope you like it. The words Teken and Buitenbeentje are both Dutch words- they mean "Mark" and "Misfit" Sooo….basically this is Misfit Island- I like to think of it as like the land of the lost toys. I hope you enjoyed that- let me know. J

-Emma


	2. Chapter Two: Secret Keeping

Hey everybody, I'm back. Here comes Chapter Two!

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Chapter Two : Secret Keeping

Zuko's eyes fluttered open slowly, viewing the white room around him. This was his third day in bed- his body was finally beginning to feel normal again, not as if it had battled the entire sea. He began to sit up, but found that there was a weight against his chest. Glancing down, he noticed that the girl, the insane one, Kaori, had her head resting against his abdomen. Her eyes were closed gently and her soft breathing escaped through slightly parted lips.

Zuko froze, staring at her. She looked beautiful, anyone had to admit that. There was such a wild look about her, yet it was beautiful at the same time. When awake, she was crazy, saying random things and moving from place to place in the blink of an eye but when asleep… It was like she was graceful, peaceful… It was a completely different girl laying against him. Except, she was laying against him, and honestly, one of the first girls to even lay against him before. It was unnerving, Zuko wasn't quite sure what to do. He could feel his cheeks heating up and he swallowed hard. Okay, maybe she could just stay there, after all, she wasn't doing anything wrong and she felt…well, comfortable. Zuko stared at her, thinking in the back of his mind that this was what it felt to have someone close to you… Besides, when she started waking up, he'd just pretend to be asleep and she'd never know that he knew she had laid against him.

But his throat felt like sandpaper. He glanced over at the table next to him, spotting his glass of water. He stretched out his arm, careful not to move to much. His fingertips brushed the glass and he stretched a little further, trying to grab the glass, but managed only to push it further away. He reached out as far as he could and the glass toppled over the edge of the table, shattering against the floor.

Kaori sat up with startled eyes, glancing around the room, her body tense as if waiting for someone to strike. The fear in her eyes drifted away as she noticed the glass on the floor. She stood up quickly, going over to it. "Geez," she laughed, "If you wanted water, you should have just asked…"

She brushed the pieces into her hand, placing them on the table. Opening a drawer, she slid the shards of glass into a thin bag. She held up the bag, looking at it from all angles, and then reached down, tearing off a long strip of her dress. She used the strip of cloth to tie the top of the bag closed and then put it in the drawer, closing it and looking content.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "What did you do that for?" he asked, curious.

Kaori looked at him as if the answer was obvious. "I like to hang the bag from the ceiling so that when the sun hits it, rainbows will be scattered across the room,"

He nodded slowly, supposing that this was a reasonable answer…maybe. Kaori laughed at his expression and came over to him, grabbing his elbow. "Alright well, it's time for you to get up,"

Zuko frowned at her, trying to tug his arm away. "I can decide when I can move and when I can't,"

Kaori shook her head, pulling on him a tad harder. "Nope, it's time to get up, so get up, get up, get up, the world awaits you!,"

Zuko shrugged out of her grip, glaring at her. "You're not my doctor, I will decide for myself,"

Kaori put her hands on her hips, returning his glare. "I'm telling you to get out of bed. Now get out before I make you get out,"

She stared at him, her eyes burning into him and finally Zuko let out a groan, relenting. He sat up, took a deep breath, and swung his feet over the side of the bed. Kaori grinned and came over to him, taking his arm, but he pulled away from her.

"I can do it…" he murmured, standing up slowly. His head only spun the slightest and after a moment the dizziness was gone.

Kaori beamed at him. "See, I knew you could do it!" She laughed loudly. "I'm a good doctor, aren't I?"

Zuko didn't answer, instead he walked forward a few steps, testing his balance. He seemed to be in working order, which was a good thing. The last thing he wanted was to be stuck in that bed for any longer.

"Alright, Teken, lets take a walk now," Kaori said, jumping in front of him.

Zuko frowned. "A walk? I don't want to take a walk,"

Kaori rolled her eyes, walking towards the door. She glanced back over her shoulder and winked at him with a wide grin. "I know you're going to follow me, Teken, you won't be able to help it," And then she was out the door.

Zuko stood in the middle of the room, clenching his fists at his side. Who did this girl think she was? He was Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation; even with his honor gone, he still demanded respect and fear from those who knew him. And here she was, bossing him around…but here on this island, he wasn't Prince Zuko- he wasn't even Zuko. He was Teken- a boy who was washed up on the shore. It was strange that Kaori hadn't asked him why he had been at sea, but Zuko wasn't questioning anything about this girl. The answers would be something insane, he knew.

After a moment, his hands relaxed and he glanced at the door. Then he promptly left the room and followed after Kaori.

XxXxXxX

Kaori had made it her mission to show Zuko everything in the village- and by everything, she certainly meant everything. He was introduced to practically everyone that lived there- the large number of 100 villagers. He saw every store and every house- Kaori even made him stand underneath a shaded porch that she and some villagers had worked on and tell her how sturdy he thought it was. She introduced him to the members of the council, all who regarded him with curious looks and long and stern glances at Kaori- which she pointedly ignored, but they all seemed friendly enough.

The people of the quaint village were all friendly and polite to Teken, with a guarded sort of openness. They shook his hand and didn't spare a second glance at the scar on his face. Many of the villagers had their own scars- the people here all had their quirks. He was just another one of these people who had found their way to this land of misfits.

As they walked away from an older woman, her face filled with the lines of age, Kaori leaned over to Zuko and whispered, "Careful around Lady Missi…she's a gossiper…she'll love you one moment and be telling people you wrestled a whole tribe of penguins the next…So don't do anything worth talking about!" She giggled and pulled him along.

A young girl of about seven ran up to them, her scruffy hair bouncing and her eyes bright. "Kaori!" she exclaimed. "Who's this!?"

Kaori laughed and ruffled the girl's hair. "Sori, this is Teken. Teken, this is Sori,"

The girl looked Zuko over and nodded, then she looked at Kaori solemnly. "Kaori, is this your boyfriend cause you know if you have a boyfriend they'll-"

Kaori reached out and slapped a hand to the girl's mouth, pushing her along while she laughed. "I'll just have to dance around everywhere and catch me some fish!" she exclaimed. "Bye Sori, say hi to your mother for me!" She pushed the girl, who looked rather shocked, along and turned to Zuko with a big smile.

"What was she going to say?" Zuko asked her, watching the girl skip away.

Kaori laughed loudly- but there was a strain to her laugh. "Oh, nothing, she's just a little girl, what does she know? Nothing, nada, zip, zadda, nope, nothing at all, zip, zadda-"

Zuko stopped her. "I get it," he said simply.

With a giggle, Kaori glanced at him. "Teken, I want to show you something,"

Zuko frowned a little. His body was returning to normal but it was still slow and he was tiring quickly. "Kaori-" he began, but she held up a hand.

"Teken, please, it'll be the last thing and I really want you to see it,"

The look in her eyes was so intense that he found his will relenting. "Fine," he muttered, rewarded with a giant smile from her. She was always smiling. She had the beauty of a water bender and the lightness of a…well, of an air bender. Kaori skipped forward, turning around to motion for him to follow after her, which he did after rolling his eyes and sighing a little. She pushed past a group of large bushes and motioned for him to follow her into the deep of the forest that surrounded the small village.

Zuko watched her disappeared and then began to follow her. Why he did, he had no idea. He needed to get out of his place but as long as he was here… Well, why not.

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I hope you enjoyed that chapter! More is on the way! I love being able to really sit down and write this. It's nice. Takes away some of the stress from college. And life.


	3. Chapter Three: Celebrations

**Back again so soon? I mean me, not you- you are welcome to come back as many times as you want. Not that we're actually going anywhere…oh you get what I mean. I have to say, I was looking back at the old comments from this past story, and a lot of people thought that it simply went to fast- so I'm going to slow things down, make it deeper and more believable. I think you'll like that. So what am I waiting for? **

**XxXxXxX **

**Chapter Three : Celebrations**

**They must have walked for over half an hour; his feet were aching but he said nothing- Zuko wasn't about to start whining. His hands were covered with thin scratches that were the result of pushing back thorn covered bushes. A thin bead of sweat ran down the back of his neck- he was hot even though he wore a light, white shirt and loose brown pants- common attire seen on the island. All the while, Kaori plunged ahead, never losing speed- was she even tired? It certainly didn't seem like it, her pace never slowed and occasionally she would glance back at Zuko with a large grin. **

**Finally, Zuko spoke up, his tone irritated. "Are we almost there yet-" **

**Kaori held up her hand, coming to a stop. She turned to look at him and whispered, "Close your eyes, Teken," **

**Zuko rolled his eyes. "No. I'm not going to do that," **

**Kaori shook her head, coming over to him, startling him by how close she stood. She reached up gently, putting a fingertip on each of his eyes, closing them gently. "Shh," she whispered, so close that he could feel her breath on his face. "Just close your eyes…" **

**He relented, only because she stood in such close proximity to him. He felt her fingers wrap around his and he flinched just the slightest- she was holding his hand, touching him. This was not something he was used to- this kind of physical touch. This sort of kindness that was held in her hand. **

**Kaori pulled on his hand, and he felt leaves brush against his cheek. There was a sound, a roaring and loud sound that filled the suddenly damp air. **

"**Okay…open your eyes…" he felt her whisper in his ear. **

**Slowly he opened his eyes and the sight before him was a spectacular one. A waterfall loomed out in front of him, massive in it's size and power. They stood on a cliff that was as tall as half of the waterfall; the water pooled below them in a large lake that led out into a river. All around them were flowers of all different sizes and colors, some were even the size of him, and the colors were many that he had never seen before in his life. He could hardly see the sky anymore, there was a canopy of trees above him. Birds flew from branch to branch, bright colored and strange looking birds that seemed to glide through the air as if they were as light as feathers. They made soft cooing noises, filling the air with their beautiful songs. **

**Never before had Zuko seen such a beautiful place. This island was full of quaint things- houses, supplies, even the people, and yet here was such a beautiful place- such a majestic wonder hidden in the woods. **

"**This is…" Zuko started, and Kaori nodded, stopping him. **

"**I know," she whispered. **

**Zuko looked at her and found that he couldn't look away for a moment. She was simply beautiful, there was hardly any way to describe it. He didn't stare at her because he felt something inside of him, he stared because she was gorgeous. She was staring out at the scenery around them, her hair blowing in the breeze. Her skin seemed to glow softly, a radiant aura to her. Her eyes were so bright, he thought he saw tears in her eyes and that confused him. He had never seen someone be so touched by the beauty around them like she was. It was confusing. He didn't like the way it made him feel- strangely vulnerable. He didn't like that at all. **

**As he stared at her, Zuko decided something. First, he would get off this island as soon as he could. And second, he would never let himself feel this vulnerable emotion again. He would not let this girl make him feel that way. **

**XxXxXxX **

**After two more days of being up on his feet, Zuko was feeling like his normal self again. Any sign that he had washed up on sea was gone- he felt stronger and filled with energy. The village had accepted him and showed him their smiles and greetings as he would pass them by. He remained in the room that Kaori had first set him in- it was one of the rooms of a very large building, a building that he wasn't quite sure what it was, but he figured that since he always saw the council in it, it belonged to them. **

**Zuko walked through the town, on his way back to the room in the large building. He had just picked up a change of clothes from the local seamstress- she had been kind enough to give to him the clothes of her deceased husband. **

**There was something about walking through the town that gave Zuko a peaceful feeling. He felt as if he had been doing this for years- living here, nodding at the people that waved at him. There was something strange about walking through a place that was filled with people that were all connected by the fact that they had no where to belong. **

**As he passed by a large and wide building, he heard voices coming from inside. Pausing for a moment, Zuko could have sworn he saw Kaori walk by the window inside. Her expression was what had made him pause- he had never seen her look like that. Angry. Furious. She was yelling inside. Zuko took a step towards the building. **

"**Boy, you, Teken," a sudden voice spoke, old and raspy. Zuko turned around and saw that an old, hunched over woman approached him, a cane in her white knuckled hand. It was Lady Missi, her white hair tied up in a bun that spilled off in certain directions. **

"**What is it?" Zuko asked, trying to soften his normally sharp tone out of respect for the old woman. **

"**The girl. I know you hear her. She has the heart of a rose." Lady Missi stared at Zuko hard, her eyes narrowing. "But you be careful. There are rumors about her that I am not to speak of. Rumors that she is dangerous," **

**Zuko frowned. "Dangerous? How could she be dangerous?" Insane, perhaps, but certainly not dangerous. **

**Lady Missi glanced from side to side, making sure that no one was close by. "The rumor is it that she vainly killed her own family. Slit their throats in the middle of the night," **

**Zuko took a step away from the old woman, shaking his head. "That's not true," he stated. **

**Lady Missi shrugged her frail shoulders. "All roses have thorns, boy." Zuko turned on his heel and walked away from the woman, his brow furrowing. "Be careful!" she called after him. **

**Dangerous? There was no way that a girl like Kaori was dangerous. He was dangerous- he was Prince of the Fire Nation- he held authority and power that no sixteen year old had. Kaori…she was just a girl on the island. Sure, she had the respect of everyone on the island, but that didn't make her dangerous, only well-liked. Kaori was the type of girl that skipped and twirled. **

**He walked through the halls of the large building, making his way to his room and when he got there, he threw open the door, throwing the clothes on the bed and sitting down on the end of it. He placed his head in his hands and let out a sigh. What did he care anyway if she was dangerous? He would be out of here soon enough. There was no reason for him to stay and he had a job to do. **

**There was a soft knock on the door and it opened slowly with a creak. Zuko looked up and saw Kaori step gently into the room, shutting the door behind her. She leaned against it, hands against her back. The look in her eyes was a quiet and calm one. **

"**I saw you talking to Lady Missi," she said quietly. Zuko nodded and Kaori glanced at the ground, frowning a little. It didn't look right on her face, that frown. "She's a nice lady…but she likes to talk about me. I don't really care it's just…" She glanced up, looking at Zuko sternly. "It's not true. Whatever she says, it's not true," **

**Zuko nodded slowly. He didn't need to know what was true or not, he would be leaving soon, but something was pulling on his skin- he couldn't explain it. **

**Kaori took a step forward and then stopped, biting the corner of her lip. "I just…there's so much I could tell you, Teken, I should tell you everything, but I can't," **

**Zuko shook his head, staring at her. "You don't have to tell me anything," he said softly- after all, he certainly wasn't telling her everything. "You don't owe me anything," **

**Kaori looked up, staring at him for what felt like a long moment. Zuko was the first to look away, and when he looked back at her, she was smiling. "The real reason," she said, "I came here was to invite you to a party. They've spotted the avatar near here," **

**Zuko felt a shiver run up his spine and he froze, his gaze falling upon her slowly. "The…avatar…" **

**Kaori nodded, smiling wider. "Isn't it wonderful? Maybe there's hope left in the world after all. But we're celebrating the good news- not that we actually need a reason to celebrate, but this is a splendid reason," **

"**Splendid…" Zuko looked away, clenching his fists. The avatar…so close and yet here he was, stuck on this island. He needed to form some plan of escape- some way. And soon to before the avatar got to far. **

**XxXxXxX **

**They sat outside, the entire village gathered around multiple fires. There was music and dancing going on all around him. The older villagers told stories to the children, enthralling them with myths and legends of their ancestors. They spoke mostly of a man named Haru who seemed to always be up to some type of mischief. The largest fire was in the center of the town square, and it was this fire that Zuko sat before, along with many of the other villagers. Some were playing instruments and everyone was full of smiles, Zuko however was not. He simply watched everyone, glancing from person to person as they celebrated the sighting of the person he meant to capture. **

**He caught sight of Kaori from the corner of her eye. She looked radiant- a flowing purple skirt and a tight, strapless red top that clung to her body. She was twirling, dancing and laughing to music as a group of villagers clapped her along. Zuko felt something stir in his chest and he quickly shoved it away, remembering what he had decided. She simply was beautiful, that's all it was, nothing more. The fire danced off her skin and he felt his hands twitch. He was longing to use his bending but there was no reason to- and it wasn't safe to do so. **

**He watched Kaori twirl around in circles, dancing and moving her hips. She laughed as a group of children stood up and joined her, spinning around so quickly until they fell down in a dizzy stupor. Getting into the beat, she took off towards the fire, jumping over it and landing on her feet at the other side. The entire movement seemed strange to Zuko- the fire was just to large for someone to jump over, let along land on their feet on the other side.. **

**Before he could think about it for a moment more, Kaori was at his side, pulling at his hands. "Dance, Teken, dance with me," **

**Zuko frowned, resisting her pull. "I don't dance," he said simply, and Kaori laughed, shaking her head. **

"**But you have to dance with me, Teken!" **

**Zuko shook his head and she rolled her eyes, groaning loudly and then took off running- still clutching onto his hand. Zuko let out a yelp and exclaimed "What are you doing? Where are we going?" **

**Kaori laughed. "Well, if you won't dance with me, then I want to show you something!" **

**She led him to the beach, to where she had first found him and pointed to what she had called her garden. **

"**Kaori what are we-" She slapped a hand over his mouth. **

"**Just…be quiet and watch," she said, staring intensely at her garden. **

**Zuko looked over at the mangled pieces of what looked like seaweed and rolled his eyes. It really was the most pathetic looking garden he had ever seen- it wasn't even pretty. Kaori's eyes flickered up at the moon and then at her garden. It was just at that moment that Zuko noticed the plants shift slightly. They were twitching. Slowly, ever so slowly, they began to rise, as if they were raising arms up to the sky to try and touch it. There was a white glow to them and thin, feather like flowers grew from the weeds, pulsing ever so slightly. **

"**What are they?" Zuko asked, confusion and amazement in his eyes. **

**Kaori smiled and glanced at him. "Moon plants. Took me forever to grow," **

**Zuko stared at the plants and then glanced up at the sky; there were so many stars. Funny, he had been doing this a week ago right before he had been pushed off his ship. Suddenly he felt something touch his hand. He felt the warmth of Kaori's fingers intertwine with his and hold on. He froze for a moment but did not pull his hand away- he did glance over at Kaori but she was staring up at the stars, a look of wonder in her eyes. Zuko turned his attention back to the sky but the fact that her hand was in his was pressing on his mind. **

**He would not let go because they were sharing the beauty of the night sky together. That was why he wouldn't, there was no other reason. **

**There was no other reason. There couldn't be. He wouldn't let there be. **

**XxXxXxX **

**See you all soon ****J **


	4. Chapter Four: Nightmares

I'm still amazed that so many people liked the old version of this story- it really was horribly written. I hope you guys like this version better! I like to write it- I had forgotten how much I enjoyed this story plot. If you all like it enough, maybe I'll sit down and write the sequel to it! But like always…what am I waiting for? Lets start writing! (well, for me writing, for you reading- oh you know what I meant)

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Chapter Four : Nightmares

_Kaori laughed, throwing her hands up in the air, flour falling everywhere. Her mother, a strong and beautiful woman, laughed loudly, her eyes shining. "Kaori!" she exclaimed, "You're making a mess!" _

_Kaori shook her head, a young girl of five. "No, mommy, I'm making it snow!" she explained, making her mother laugh. _

"_Well…in that case…" Kaori watched her mother dip her hand into the flour, and before she knew it, she had wiped it across Kaori's forehead. "I guess that makes you a snowman!" _

_Kaori burst out into giggles, reaching out to try and touch her mother's cheek. _

"_What are my girl's laughing at so loudly?" Kaori smiled widely, seeing her father enter their home. She stepped off of the stool and away from the table where she was helping her mother cook and danced into her father's arms. She touched the tip of his nose with her flour covered fingers and laughed. "Look, daddy, now you're a snowman too," _

_Her father laughed, smiling over at his wife. All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door- a loud and unfamiliar knock that had both her parents freezing. Quietly, her mother came over to them, taking Kaori from her father and holding her tightly. Her father reached over and put a hand against her mother's cheek, staring deeply into her eyes. _

"_Don't…" her mother whispered, her face torn. Kaori thought she was about to break, but she said nothing, simply filled with confusion. _

"_It'll be okay…" Her father whispered, glancing down at his daughter before turning for the door. He looked back at his wife and daughter. "Now go." _

XxXxXxXxX

Zuko sat up in bed, running his hands across his eyes, rubbing out the sleep from them. From what he could tell out the window, today was a dull day. The sky held a gray tint to it and clouds were settled in for some rest of their own. It would not be a normal sunny day today, but that was alright with him. He never quite took the time to appreciate the weather anyway.

Stepping out of bed and out of the large building, he was greeted not with the normal scenery. Normally, the village people were going along in their business, chatting with friends here and there, cooking, playing music, games, all sorts of things. There was usually life in the village and today there was…panic? People were going from house to house, their eyes filled with fear.

The young girl, Sori, came up to Zuko quickly. "Mister, mister," she exclaimed. "Where's P- uh, Kaori, where's Kaori?"

Zuko stared at the young girl, his own confusion in his eyes. How would he know where Kaori was- he had just woken up. "I don't know,"

"But…but she's always with you- you were the last idea I had!" Sori exclaimed, close to tears. Zuko blinked and looked over the village again. Is that what they were doing- looking for someone? And by the sounds of it, that someone was Kaori. He looked back at Sori.

"She's missing?" He asked.

Sori nodded quickly, her brown hair bouncing and her eyes wild. "She was supposed to see the council this morning but she ran away from them after just a moment! They've checked her room but she's not there!

"Is this…not normal of her?" Zuko asked slowly. He couldn't imagine that anything was normal for this girl- not being in her room included. But for some reason, the people of the village were making this a huge deal.

Sori shook her head. "No, no it's not! P-… Kaori is always where she needs to be!"

Zuko frowned and nodded slightly. "We'll find her." He said, and Sori nodded, taking off back towards where a group of people were searching. It didn't really matter to him, at least, it shouldn't have. What did he care that this insane girl was missing- but he paused. She had saved his life, he owed her that much, so he would help find her. It was the least he could do.

Something struck him though. What if she didn't want to be found? Surely there was some reasoning behind this madness. He shook his head and took off towards the village- he would help, but he would also find out some answers.

XxXxXxXxX

_Kaori's mother ran fast, clutching onto her daughter. Suddenly there was a loud bang and Kaori's mother spun around, staring in the direction of their home where smoke was now rising into the sky. Her mother's face crumbled and she let out a quiet whimper before turning back around and running. Kaori's eyes were wide- smoke? Their home was on fire? But her father was there- he was at home, he had gone to answer the door and now there was smoke. If there was an accident, why weren't they going back to help? _

_Her mother came to a stop, gently placing Kaori on the ground and bending down. She looked over her shoulder quickly and then back at her daughter. _

"_Kaori, my love, you've got to do exactly as I say now," she whispered quickly and sternly, and Kaori nodded slowly, trembling. "You've got to run," _

_Kaori let out a yelp and jumped towards her mother, holding onto her. "No! I want to stay with you, mommy!" _

_Her mother shook her loose, trembling as well. "No. Listen to me, you've got to run right now. You've got to run faster than you've ever run before, do you understand me? There are monsters in these woods now, monsters that will get you, and you can't let them get you, love, do you understand that?" _

_Kaori nodded, "B-but…what about you?" she stammered and her mother smiled at her. _

"_Don't you worry about me, love, just do as I've told you." She stood up, brushing the tears off of Kaori's cheeks. "On the count of three, love. One…two…three! Go now!" _

_Kaori turned and ran, her eyes brimming with more tears. Why did she have to run- why did she have to leave her mother? She could hear things in the forest; smell the increasing smoke in the air. These monsters- she had heard her father speak of them in whispers to her mother before. How had they come here? The bushes cut into her skin but she kept running, rocks buried into her feet. In the distance she thought she heard a scream and it made her heart clench. Surely this was all a dream, that's all it could be. _

_Slowly she came to a stop. There was no where left to run- she had come to a cliff in a giant opening. Frantically she glanced around- below her was a river, but there was no land to reach. There was land on the other side of the river, but it was so far away… _

XxXxXxXxX

"We've searched all of the houses- all of the stores!" A man exclaimed. A group of villagers- those who had taken a pause from their searching, had gathered to discuss possible places that Kaori could have vanished to. "She's no where to be found!"

"What about the woods?" A woman called out. "Has anyone searched there?"

An older man nodded solemnly. "We've searched the outer perimeter and far into the trees, she is nowhere."

"Well, she must be somewhere!"

"Has someone checked the beach?"

The voices continued and Zuko stood there, glancing around. All of these ideas…none of them were working out- everywhere they searched, she was not found. She was no where anyone looked- something struck him and he almost let out a gasp. Of course. She was no where anyone looked. She was somewhere that she knew.

But he knew it too.

Turning on his heel, Zuko slipped away from the crowd unnoticed- they were all to consumed in their argument to bother realizing that he was gone. Without slowing, he stepped into the forest and continued on his way.

XxXxXxXxX

_Kaori's breath was coming in faster, her heart racing. No where to go, no where to run. She heard footsteps approach from behind her- a whole large set of them. They stopped suddenly and she turned around, her little fists clenched. _

_A man stood before her, large men behind him. This man…he looked like a monster, exactly as her mother had said. He wore armor, armor that had splashes of red on it. She knew without hesitation that it was blood. Her heart clenched as her small mind realized who's blood it most likely was. _

"_Little girl…" the man said softly, smiling gently at her. He was trying to appear friendly to her, but she knew. She knew that it was a lie and all a mask. This man was a monster. He caused the smoke, the scream, the blood. Him and the men that were with him, the men in strange looking helmets. _

_The wind blew softly, blowing her hair around her face but she did not make any motion to brush it away. The man stared at her, his thin eyes burning. His black hair was brought together on the top of his head, awful sideburns running down his jaw line. _

"_I mean no harm to you, little girl… Truly I do not… But if you are wise, you will come with us. We have toys for you to play with, would you like to see them?" He stretched out his hand to her, offering for her to take it. _

_Kaori shook her head wildly. "No!" she screamed. "I don't want to go! I won't go with you!" _

_The man scowled at her, his frame tensing. "You have a gift, little girl, a gift that I'm afraid the Fire Lord has deemed unacceptable. If you do not come with me by your own will, I'm afraid I will have to make you come with us by force," _

_Tears streamed down Kaori's face- this monster, this hideous monster. She would not go with him, her mother had told her not to. Something about him was all wrong- he was evil, even at a young age she knew that. _

"_Do not resist," the man said, his eyes glaring into her. _

_Kaori glanced back at the river and the gap of space between her and land. She looked back at the man, her eyes defiant. _

_It took a second for the man to figure out what she was thinking, and when he did, he let out a yell and ran towards her. "NO!" he shouted, his men following after him, all ready to grab the girl. _

_But he couldn't. By the time the man reached her, she was across the river and running. The man let out a ferocious yell, filling the trees with fire that escaped from his hands. He stared in the spot where the girl had vanished into the trees, his breathing fast and his eyes deadly. _

"_I will find you. I will destroy you…" he whispered. _

XxXxXxX

Zuko pushed heavy brush away and stepped out into the small clearing. The waterfall roared in front of him, the birds sang their song. Even on such an ugly day, this place was still stunning. His eyes skimmed around the area, taking in the bright colors of the flowers and the thin frames of the birds until they settled on a small mass that lay on the ground.

He slowly made his way over to it, getting down on his knees. Kaori- she was lying on her side, her knees pulled up to her chest. Her eyes were open, staring out at the scenery before them but she made no movement.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible. She didn't ask who was there, Zuko knew she simply had already known that it was him. "I know they're all worried…" She paused. "…Right?"

He nodded. "Yes. Everyone's looking for you," He was silent for a moment. "Let's go back,"

Kaori shook her head slowly, pulling her knees closer to her chest. "Not yet," she whispered. "I can't…not yet.."

Zuko sat down, settling himself down in the grass- it didn't appear that they'd be leaving any time soon. He glanced at her- there was a pained look in her eyes that didn't seem familiar on her face. He wanted to ask her what was wrong- he wanted to comfort her somehow but he wasn't sure how he could do that. He wasn't even sure he was even capable of doing such a thing- it was to foreign to him. He wouldn't even know how to begin.

"I had…a nightmare," Kaori whispered, sitting up slowly and looking at him. She closed her eyes and a tear fell from the corner of one eye. "I'm sorry, I just…I had to get away from that place…just for a little… I just…"

Zuko reached out slowly, almost pulling his hand back, and touched her knee softly, then took his hand away. "I…understand," he said, and he did. How many times had he dreamt of his own mother, of the time when his father had put a scar upon his face.

It was the scar that Kaori glanced at now. She nodded once. "I think you do," she whispered. She leaned towards him suddenly, resting just her forehead against his shoulder. She was not close to him, but she leaned on him, and it was close enough for Zuko- he wasn't used to this. Kaori took one of his hands in hers and held onto it tightly.

Zuko held onto her hand, unsure of what else he could possibly do. He knew that other people would take her into their arms and hold on tightly, rub her back even, but he couldn't. He just couldn't even if he knew that was how a person would console another.

"Kaori," Zuko began slowly. "Sori told me you ran away from the council- is it because of this nightmare?"

She sat up, staring off into the distance and shook her head. Another tear fell from her eye and she didn't bother to wipe it away. Zuko felt his hand twitch but he kept it in place.

"No," she whispered. "No, the nightmare was just…just on my mind." She was silent for a long moment before her body shuddered and she held her head in her hands, closing her eyes. "The council…they…they wanted to talk to me… They told me…they told me news of the outside world."

Zuko stared at her- news of the outside world? He wasn't sure why the council would be discussing the outside world with her, but he let that pass because she was visibly trembling.

Her face contorted into a look of grief and she closed her eyes tightly, tears slipping through them and down her cheeks. "My cousin…she's the only person I had left…the only living relative of mine… She…she lived on Kyoshi Island…she…she promised that I could visit her one day…she would teach me their unique way of fighting…"

A cold chill spread through Zuko. Kyoshi Island- hadn't he been there recently? It was the place with the female warriors- he remembered that because he had found it strange. It had been yet another place where the avatar had managed to escape him.

"They…they were attacked," Kaori continued, her jaw clenched. Her voice was rising. "Damn fire benders! They attacked the village! They set fire to homes and stores, to everything! She was…she was trying to help people and a building collapsed on top of her!"

The tears were flowing freely now, but her face was one of rage. She turned to look at Zuko and the look in her eyes shocked him. He had never seen someone look so broken. "She's dead, Teken, the only family I have left is gone. Those damn fire benders killed all I had left! Now I'm all alone in the world! To hell with them, they'll burn for what they've done- they'll suffer so much worse! To hell with them! To hell with the whole Fire Nation!"

She buried her head in her hands and sobbed quietly, her shoulders shaking. Zuko stared at her, trying to keep any emotion out of his face. It shouldn't have hurt like that, the words she spoke, but for some reason they did. It had been his fault that her cousin was dead- his troops had set those buildings on fire. Still, he had simply been trying to capture the avatar- he hadn't thought about the people around him or what he was doing, his mind had been focused on one thing. But the words hurt, they struck him and he was not sure why.

As she sobbed, he sat there, trying to figure out what he could do, and why it felt like she was speaking directly to him.

XxXxXxX

I know you're probably all confused about how she got across that gap, but don't worry. Everything gets explained- patience. Don't go reading the old story to find out what happens- that would spoil everything and there's no fun in that. Later people!


	5. Chapter Five: Fights

My first review!!! You are my special reviewer now- lets get more people reading this! I know it doesn't sound so great in the summary…but it is a good story- lots of twists and surprises. Kind of like a soap opera. Lone reviewer- you have made my day : ) I hope you continue reading because you make me smile. This chapter is for you.

Oh! And a quick note. I'm pretty sure somewhere in here I wrote that Zuko was 16. Maybe. If I did, I would like to change that to 18. Thanks : )

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Chapter Five : Fights

"Hold it there….hold it there….almost got it…."

Zuko sighed to himself, rolling his eyes quickly so that the large woman couldn't see him. His arm was stretched upwards, holding up a piece of rope as the large woman, a shop keeper's wife, tied the end to a tall pole. It was a laundry line- as Zuko had been walking, the woman had asked for his assistance. He noticed that things like this happened a lot- the villagers would see someone and ask for help, and help was always given. No one was alone on this island- if they needed anything, there was always someone to come to their aid.

The woman smiled and stepped back, and Zuko put his hand down with a relieved sigh. "Looks beautiful," She slapped his shoulder. "Fine work we've done!"

Zuko watched the woman walk off, her steps filled with pride and he slowly shook his head. It was a laundry line; he wasn't quite sure what there was to be proud of…but these people took pride in the little things in life. It was…quaint, he thought.

With another sigh, he turned, but something caught his eye. A man, one he recognized as the local pottery maker, was hauling something off behind his house. Something made out of wood that looked exactly like…

A fire lit up inside of Zuko- could it be? Was this his chance.

"Sir!" He called out, rushing towards the man, who looked up perplexed, "Sir wait!"

When the man saw Zuko approaching him, he smiled in a friendly way, giving him a wave. "Well, hello there young man, good day to you!"

Zuko nodded quickly. "Yes, yes, good day to you too," he said quickly. "Sir, is that…is that a boat?"

The man patted the boat that he had been hauling and nodded. "Yup, built her when I was twenty," He winced a little, rubbing his back as if in memory, "Course…that was a long time ago…" With a laugh he shook his head. "I have no use for it though so I was taking it to the back to chop it up. What I do have use for is wood for my fire…and this boat is just full of wood,"

Zuko's eyes widened- he was going to destroy the boat? Even if it was a rather simple boat, it was still a boat. "Sir, please, if I could somehow have this boat…"

The man eyed Zuko, taking him in. "Why do you want my boat?" He asked, scratching his chin with a dirty hand.

Zuko paused for a moment, trying to think of the best thing to say. "Fishing," was what he finally came up with and then man smiled brightly.

"A boy of your strength would do good at sea!" He said brightly. He frowned slightly, thoughtfully. "I'll tell you what… I need wood and if you're going to be taking this boat, perhaps you can help me out. If you'll chop wood for me, this boat is all yours,"

"Done," Zuko agreed quickly. He could hardly believe it. A boat. A way out. An escape. It was here. He could practically feel the metal of his own ship beneath his feet, see the Fire Nation insignia that hung in his quarters. Soon he would be sailing the sea's with Uncle Iroh again, searching for the avatar…capturing the avatar…and returning home.

The man gave Zuko another smile and nodded, putting his hands on his hips. "Well, good then! I'll see you here tomorrow! Till then!" He gave a wave and headed off towards his house.

Zuko smiled to himself. Luck was finally on his side, finally. He turned, heading back towards the main road that would lead him to the large building when he saw Kaori in the distance. She looked upset, he could see that her fists were clenched.

The past few days, her mood hadn't been so wonderful, but it was understandable. She was still reeling from the death of her cousin. Sometimes he would catch her staring off into space, tears in her eyes that she would quickly blink away. However, recently, her old spark had been returning and she had been laughing more. Now however…something was obviously wrong.

Zuko watched curiously as she strode away from an exotic looking building, a scowl on her face. From the building, a boy, perhaps a little older than himself, followed after her. He was tall and brutish looking, his shoulders wide and thick and his neck hardly coming off of his shoulders. His hair was cropped close to his head and his eyes were squinty, his nose to large. There were muscles rippling down his arms and even from where he stood, Zuko could see the veins in his neck.

The boy followed after Kaori, a deeper scowl set in his expression. He caught up with Kaori quickly, grabbing onto her shoulder with a meaty hand and spinning her around to face him. Zuko couldn't help but notice that none of the village people were looking at them, but their expressions were extremely uncomfortable. Slowly he began to make his way towards Kaori- he wasn't sure why, his feet were moving on their own will.

"You would never understand, do you hear me?" Kaori yelled at the boy, getting up in his face.

The boy let out a growl and grabbed onto her shoulders, shaking her slightly. "You can't talk to me like that, you wench!"

Kaori shook herself out of his grasp. "I'll talk to you however I like! What I do is my business, you do not control me!"

The boy took a step towards her, his eyes burning. "No, because nobody controls you right? You think you're everything to this place but all you are is a whore!"

"And you only think you're important, when really you're parents sent you here because they couldn't stand to look at your ugly face for one moment more-"

The boy cut her off, closing the distance between them and smacking her clear across the face. Kaori fell to the ground with a yelp, her hand going to her cheek. No one on the street made a motion to help her, to comfort her, and to tell this boy to get away from her. They let it happen, as uncomfortable as they all looked, they pointedly ignored everything that was happening.

Zuko couldn't do that. "Hey!" he yelled, coming over quickly. His eyes were murderous. In the moment the boy had his Kaori, he had been reminded of his own mother. He had seen that expression before- that hurt and scared expression, vulnerable and open. The boy looked Zuko over, scoffing to himself and rolling his eyes. Obviously he had pinned Zuko as anything but a threat.

"Touch her again and I will kill you," Zuko said, his voice low, and the boy let out a laugh.

"Who are you to interrupt a conversation between two people. Buzz off, pipsqueak," The boy's laugh faded off into an annoyed glare and he made a move towards Kaori.

Zuko cut him off quickly. "So hitting a girl is your idea of conversation?"

The boy's mouth turned down in a grimace. "You know…I'm getting pretty tired of looking at you,"

"And here I thought I was the only one in pain," Zuko snapped back, and the boy's eyes widened. He let out a yell, swiping at Zuko who quickly moved backwards, avoiding the hit. The boy hit the ground with his fist, causing a chunk of rock to lift from it and float in the air. Zuko cursed in his head- an earth bender. He should have known.

There wasn't anytime to think on that though as the rock came hurtling at him. Zuko moved quickly to the left avoiding it, and managed to swerve to the right to avoid another rock.

"You're quick," The boy shouted. "But you can't dodge forever!"

He planted his feet hard in the ground and raised his arms with a loud grunt. Three chunks of large rock were pulled from the ground slowly and with another grunt and a spread of his arms, the boy managed to separate each rock in half. With a yell, he propelled his arms forward, shooting all the rocks at Zuko.

Zuko did not hesitate, he had not been trained to do so. He dodged one to the right then quickly ducked and rolled out of the way of the second, only to jump up and to the left to avoid the third. The fourth came at him from behind, which he quickly back flipped over, landing on his feet for a moment and then raising his foot to kick the fifth one in half and away from him. The sixth was larger though and as he tried to move to dodge it, it clipped him in the shoulder, knocking him backwards and off balance. He caught the boy grinning and another rock was shot at him, hitting him square in the stomach and sending him on his back.

The boy dug up another rock from the ground, but this time, used his hands and sharpened it so that one end was like a blade. He approached where Zuko lay on his back, readying the rock, aiming it right for Zuko's chest.

But Zuko had not been taught to lose to obnoxious earth benders such as this boy, in fact, he would not allow that to happen. As the boy got close enough, he let out a yell and rolled backwards, swiping out his feet and hitting the boy's ankles, causing him to drop the rock and lose his balance, falling backwards onto the ground.

Zuko took his position again, ready for any move the boy might make. His hands were begging him to use his bending, but this earth bender did not deserve his fire. Slowly the boy got to his feet, looking murderous.

"STOP!"

Kaori moved between them, holding out her hands. "No more," she ordered, "Stop this now," She turned to Zuko, her eyes narrowed. "Go back to what you were doing Teken. Go back to your room,"

Zuko blinked, his stance faltering. "But Kaori, I was-"

"Teken!" Kaori shouted. She stared at him for a long moment until her face softened. "Go back."

Zuko's fists clenched and he stood there, staring at her, but she did not relent. Growling softly, Zuko turned. "Fine," he muttered walking away. If she wanted to be pushed around by that brute then it was not his problem.

XxXxXxX

Zuko brought the axe down, chopping the piece of wood in two halves which he would later cut again. This was one thing, he knew, that his bending would never help him with. Wood and fire did not mix well together, he had learned that through several experiences.

The sun was blazing as he swung the axe, making him sweat, but he was glad for the work. There were times where he felt as if he would go crazy on this island with nothing to do. He was not a people person, so helping out the islanders was not something he wanted to do all the time. However, this time, he would be rewarded for his help. Rewarded with the means to escape.

He had discarded his shirt long ago, the sun to hot for the cloth to be against his skin. Already he had a large pile of wood. Originally he thought he would just have to chop the wood, but it turned out the man needed him to chop down thin trees and turn that into smaller pieces for him. It took time, but it was nothing that Zuko couldn't do.

He brought the axe down again, splitting another piece of wood when he heard a shuffling behind him. He had the faintest idea of who it was, so he did not turn around, just scowled into his work and continued.

"Teken,"

Zuko brought the axe down again. "What do you want?"

He heard her shift uncomfortably from foot to foot. "I just…I'm sorry about all that. Yesterday. You were so kind to defend me…but…I had to send you away,"

Zuko paused for a moment, then brought the axe down harder than before. "So you like being hit?" he snapped at her, anger evident in his tone.

He heard her falter. "No, of course not! I just…I don't have a choice."

"You always have a choice-"

"No, Teken, I don't, if you knew, if I could explain everything to you-"

He turned around quickly, eyes blazing. "Then why don't you? All you do is dance around subjects and I'm tired of it. It's always 'if I could explain things' or "I wish I could explain things," but you never do. Stop saying it and start,"

She stared at him, her eyes hurt and her mouth open the slightest. "I…I can't…" she whispered.

Zuko stared at her for a long moment and then turned his back to her. "Then that's your choice," he muttered. His hand tightened around the axe and he went to bring it up again when he felt her hand slid up his shoulder, turning him around. He had no time to speak; her hand was on his shoulder and he was facing her and her lips were against his, the movement so quick and so fluid. The axe slipped from his hand, falling to the ground and he stood there, completely frozen.

Her lips were so soft against his, so soft and sweet, everything he would have thought her lips would have felt like. He wasn't sure how to respond- half of him wanted to push her away, to cut this bond forming between them right here and now and never look at her again. He didn't want to think about her or allow himself to feel anything for her.

But the other half wanted to feel things; wanted to try and see what it could feel for her. He wanted to feel normal for once in his life and feel as if someone enjoyed having him around…someone who needed him. He wanted to kiss her back and pull her to him, hold her as he had never held anyone else before in his life.

Before he could decide what to do, her lips broke away from his slowly and her brown eyes stared into his gold ones. "Teken…" she whispered. She looked as shocked as he did. "I…I didn't mean to do that…you just…I just…" She blinked, as if coming out of a trance and took a step backwards, running a hand through her hair. "I want to tell you everything…"

Zuko stared at her, "Then tell me,"

Kaori brought a finger to her lips, touching them gently as if she could still feel Zuko's lips against hers. "The council…" she began in a whisper. "Five months ago, on my eighteenth birthday, they deemed me of a marriageable age. The problem was, there was no one to marry and they didn't feel I could find someone on my own. So they found Tonu for me- a last resort but a resort none the less and I have no other choice."

Zuko frowned slightly. "Tonu…?"

She glanced at him as if he should have known this already. "The boy. The one you fought. He is…my betrothed."

Zuko stared at her, trying to keep all emotions out of his face. No, he didn't care, it didn't concern him at all. He was getting his boat and getting out of here as soon as he could. It didn't matter that Kaori was betrothed or that she had kissed him or that her lips were so soft or that she was interesting and sweet and beautiful…

No, it didn't matter, none of it mattered. The only thing that mattered was returning home and finally being where he belonged. He was Prince of the Fire Nation and an island girl was not going to make him forget that.

Kaori took a step towards him, her fingertips still touching her lips. She looked confused, as if she wanted to kiss him again but couldn't read his expression, which he was glad about, since he couldn't quite determine how he was feeling either.

"I'm…I'm happy you came here though…Teken…" she whispered, her eyes wide as she looked at him. "I…I can't explain it.."

Zuko looked away from her sharply, his eyes narrowed. "I'm almost done with this wood here. Once I am, I'll be leaving soon."

Kaori blinked, her expression wide and even more confused. "L..Leaving..?"

Zuko nodded, picking up the axe from the ground. "Off the island. I need to get back to my life,"

He turned away from her, pausing for a moment. Then he held up the axe and swung it down, chopping another piece of wood. He never heard Kaori walk away.

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I hope you liked your chapter! This was a long one- sorry about that. In the original story when I first wrote it, things were so unorganized so I'm trying to create a better flow. That means chapters may get a little longer… Anyway, more soon : )


	6. Chapter Six: My Kingdom Home

So, another review! I have a question though…cause everyone keeps saying "great chapter one" or stuff like that…sooo…is anyone reading these later chapters? Uhh…let me know. I'm going to write now…instead of study… Yay : )

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Chapter Six: My Kingdom Home

"Yes, yes, yes, this looks perfect!" The man surveyed Zuko's look, smiling widely. Zuko had cut more wood than originally planned, but it had been a good way to take out his frustrations. Each piece of wood was perfectly cut and the man was beaming. "You've certainly earned that boat, young man!" he exclaimed, slapping Zuko on the back. "Bring back lots of fish!"

Zuko nodded, unable to thank the man- his work showed that enough he assumed. He turned on his heel, heading back to his room to prepare his things. He would leave tonight.

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Kaori walked along the beach, putting one foot in front of the other, as if she was balancing on a rope. Her hands were held out, supporting her. Next to her walked a short girl, perhaps a year younger. She was a pudgey girl, pretty though. Her black hair was cut to her chin and her eyes shown blue.

"I had to tell him, Aliruko, he would have found out," Kaori said, staring at the sand as she walked.

The girl shrugged, Aliruko, and said, "Oh, don't worry so much. I'm sure Tonu will forgive you,"

Kaori glared at the girl. "I wasn't talking about Tonu,"

Aliruko looked at Kaori and giggled a little. "I know. You were talking about that boy, what's his name… Teken, right?"

Kaori sighed rather wistfully, nodding. "Yes…" she said softly. "Teken,"

Aliruko rolled her eyes, kicking a shell into the water. "I don't know why you've got a thing for him. He barely talks, has this scowl on his face and you don't know anything about him. And that scar on his face-"

Kaori cut her off quickly with a look. "Makes him possibly the only one who could really understand," she finished for Aliruko, who merely rolled her eyes.

"Still," Aliruko continued. "I don't see why you've got a thing for him."

Kaori stopped, digging her feet into the sand, hiding them. "It doesn't matter anyway…" she murmured. "He knows I'm betrothed now."

Aliruko shook a finger at Kaori. "Hey, just because you're betrothed doesn't mean you can't have a bit of fun…" She tapped her finger against her chin, looking thoughtful. "Hmm…you could hide Teken in your closet and when Tonu is gone and you're feeling in the mood, you just take him out of the closet and-"

"Aliruko!" Kaori exclaimed, a blush creeping up on her cheeks. "What a terrible thing to say!"

Aliruko giggled. "Well, I'm sorry, I can't help it if my imagination runs wild,"

Kaori grinned at her friend, rolling her eyes. "Oh, it certainly runs…"

"Well," Aliruko said with another giggle. "I think you should do what you want for once in your life. If something is speaking to you about this….Teken….and even if I advise against it…I guess you should go for it."

Kaori sighed, poking her toes out of the sand. She stared at them as they wiggled at her. "I just… He doesn't know the other things…I don't know what to do…"

"Kaori," Aliruko said, raising an eyebrow. "Since when do you not do what you want to do…no matter what anyone says…?"

Kaori smiled slowly and glanced at her friend. As the waves hit the beach, both girls started laughing.

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Zuko threw his bags into the boat. It had floated- that was a good sign. As he had shoved it out into the water to test it, he had thought for sure that it was simply going to sink and disappear. Life seemed to do that a lot to him, but fortune was on his side. It had floated lazily in the calm water and he sighed. The sky was dark, it was late out but that was how he wanted to go. He didn't want the villagers to see him leaving he just…wanted to disappear. His boat was in the sand, pulled up so he could put his bags in it.

"Teken," He heard and he turned around to face Kaori, who stood there blinking.

Zuko frowned a little. "What are you doing here?"

She pointed down the beach a little. "I was going to check on my moon plant…I didn't expect… You weren't going to say goodbye?"

Zuko shook his head, tossing his last bag into the boat. "I never liked saying goodbye," he muttered. He put his hands on the boat, ready to push it into the water.

"Teken…I don't…I don't want you to leave like this…" Kaori said quietly. She glanced up at him. "You're mad at me, right?"

Zuko was silent for a moment and then turned to look at her. "No. I'm not mad." he said simply.

"It wasn't my choice," Kaori said quickly, as if this was her last chance to explain. "I never thought I would be betrothed. I don't want to be,"

Zuko nodded slowly, keeping all emotion out of his eyes. "I know,"

Kaori took two quick steps forward, her eyes wild. The wind blew through her hair, making her look crazed. "Teken, take me with you,"

Zuko froze, staring at her as if she was insane. "What?" he exclaimed. "No," There was no way she could go with him- if she did then everything would be ruined. She would be extra baggage and she would figure everything out, making her only unhappy.

She came towards him and grabbed onto the neck of his shirt, looking at him like she was about to have a panic attack. "Please Teken," she said quickly. "Please take me with you,"

Zuko shook his head, taking her hands slowly and pulling them off his shirt, but she did not let go of his hands. "You can't go. It's dangerous,"

Kaori shook her head, hair getting in her face. "I don't care,"

"You will," Zuko muttered, to himself or to her he did not know.

"Teken!" Kaori shouted, her eyes wide and intense, stepping closer to him and holding onto his hands tighter. "Please, I want to go with you!"

Zuko glanced away from her. Why was it becoming so hard to say no to her? Why did it feel like if he said no one more time, that something would tear inside of him? Why couldn't she be like any other girl and run away from this answer and cry a bit but then move on? Why did it feel like she truly wanted to go with him?

"I have to go with you," Kaori whispered. "I have to. I don't know why but I have to. My friend, Aliruko, she'll tell the people that I've gone away for a little, they won't worry, they'll be fine without me, but please, please don't leave me standing on this beach tonight watching you disappear. Let me come,"

Zuko closed his eyes for a moment, frowning deeply. She couldn't come, he knew she shouldn't. He was the Prince of the Fire Nation and she was…she was Kaori. She didn't belong where he wanted to be.

"Kaori…I'm not…I'm not who you think I am," he said slowly, not looking at her. "You would hate me,"

Kaori reached out, touching his cheek and then pulling her hand away. "I have my secrets too. And you have to let me come,"

Zuko looked at her for a moment. "I don't have to let you do anything,"

Kaori shook her head. "Yes, yes you do. You stomped on my garden,"

Zuko stared at her, perplexed. "What?"

"That first day. You stomped all over it,"

"Kaori…"

"It's true," Her face softened and she smiled at him. "Please Teken… Please say I can come…please…"

Zuko closed his eyes, not able to look at her as he nodded his head the slightest. He heard her squeal and felt her throw her arms around him. No, she shouldn't come…but he couldn't say no any longer. When her arms disappeared from around him, he opened his eyes, turning to see her beginning to push the boat out into the water. He silently joined her, climbing into it and pulling her in with him. She was smiling so widely but doom was in Zuko's chest. This was a horrible idea, he knew it.

Kaori stared out at the island as it grew further and further away. Her smile was faint and she felt something in her own heart. Excitement, sadness, all sorts of things, but she knew she would see her island again. Her home. Her kingdom.

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"Come on, you know you want a bite,"

Zuko shook his head, focusing on a map and the direction of the wind. Kaori was cutting an apple with a knife, looking at him expectantly. She cut another piece. "Just a little?" Kaori asked, and Zuko shook his head, waving a hand at her to shush her.

Kaori rolled her eyes and took a bite of the piece she had just cut off. With a moan she threw her head back. "Oh this is the best apple I have ever tasted!" she gasped. "It's so juicy and filled with flavor! I can't think of anything more delicious than this apple!"

Zuko glared at her and felt his mouth dry. It did sound rather good and his stomach was in pain with hunger. "Fine," he snapped, defeated, "Just a bit,"

Kaori laughed and cut him off a chunk, passing it over to him. Zuko glared at her as he ate it- it was good though, and his stomach felt better on the first bite.

Kaori sighed and leaned back in the boat, closing her eyes for a moment and letting the sun sink into her skin. It was strange, being at sea with him…being alone with him. She wasn't sure what she felt, she only had an idea. And Zuko…he wasn't sure what he was feeling at all. Most of the time he stared at the map, figuring out where they were and how close they were to an island. How soon they would reach his ship…

"Oh, you picked a day to sail though…" Kaori sighed, opening her eyes and looking at the sky.

Zuko looked up at her. "What do you mean?" He asked, his tone sharp. He had picked a wonderful day, he knew that.

"It's going to storm," Kaori sang, smiling at the sky.

Zuko looked up at the sky. There were only a few clouds in it so he wasn't sure what she was talking about. "No, it's not,"

Kaori sat up, leaning forward, and put a finger to her lips. "Shh… Teken, you're going to anger the clouds,"

Zuko rolled his eyes, looking back at his map. "Clouds can't be angry," he muttered.

Kaori shook her head, leaning back and looking up at the sky. "They sense anger, they can feel ours. When it rains, it's a sign that something has happened, that there has been some great emotion in the world. It's common knowledge, Teken,"

Zuko lifted the map up, blocking his view of her. "It's not going to storm," he repeated.

Kaori clicked her tongue. "You're going to make the clouds angry…" Off in the distance, there was a rumble of thunder. "Told ya," Kaori said, raising an eyebrow.

Zuko merely shook his head. Kaori leaned forward, moving towards him, and reached out, taking the map from his hands.

"Give that back!" Zuko exclaimed, reaching for it, but she held it away.

"We know where we're going, the wind is blowing us in the right direction," she laughed, moving closer to him. Zuko felt himself freezing as she moved against his side, picking up his arm and draping it around her shoulder. "I'm tired," she murmured.

"Then-then I'll roll out a blanket for you," Zuko stammered, unsure of what to do or say, his face red.

She smiled and with her hand, turned his face towards hers, closing the distance between them and touched her lips to his. Zuko felt himself freeze up completely, unsure of how to respond. She had the softest pressure against his lips, not forcing anything upon him. He wanted to kiss her back but he kept the wall between them up, not wanting to be vulnerable. She pulled her lips from his gently, keeping her eyes closed, and snuggled her head against his chest.

"Be a good pillow," she yawned. "And be quiet,"

Zuko stared at her, watching her drift off into sleep. She was warm and her skin was soft but he just…he wasn't sure how to act around her. It wasn't in his nature to be flirtatious and so outgoing. He knew that if he were normal, he would kiss her back and touch that soft skin of hers, but he wasn't normal. He was stubborn and goal oriented and Kaori…she was something different. New. Exotic almost.

Slowly, cautiously, he placed his other hand against her waist, barely touching her. There. That was normal, wasn't it? Holding someone while they slept? That was something that any regular person would do. At least, he figured it was, he wasn't quite sure. Either way, he watched her sleep, looking so peaceful, and he felt himself slowly drift off into a slumber of his own.


	7. Chapter Seven: Perfect Storm

I love writing this, I really do. So off I go again! Kaori is a little like Jin, I suppose, don't you think? A bit more wild, but similar.

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Chapter Seven : Perfect Storm

Zuko twitched where he lay, squeezing his eyes shut tighter. Something kept hitting his face, over and over again and harder and harder. It was annoying and he didn't like it, but it did not stop. His eyes opened slowly, only to shut again as something hit his eyes. It took him a moment, then he shot up, eyes wide in panic. Rain. It was raining. And hard to. He glanced upwards, noticing that the sky was covered in thick, gray clouds.

"Kaori," he said loudly, reaching over and shaking her shoulders. "Kaori get up,"

She mumbled something, opening her eyes slowly. "Teken?" She said slowly, blinking twice. "What's going on…?"

"It's raining. And it's getting harder," Zuko said.

Kaori sat up quickly, glancing up at the sky. "I told you it would rain," she muttered.

Within moments, the rain was coming down so hard that Zuko could barely see Kaori in front of him. The wind blew hard, slashing Kaori's hair in front of her face. To the right of them, there was a flash of lightning and a loud crack of thunder. The small boat rocked from side to side, bullied by the harsh seas.

"Teken! We've got to get control of the ship!" Kaori yelled, trying to get Zuko to hear her over the wind. Zuko grabbed onto the oars, trying to steer the ship, but the waves tossed it hard.

"It's no use!" He yelled, pulling hard on the oars. Waves lapped up the side of the boat, sloshing water down near their feet.

"We have to try!" Kaori shouted, trying to throw the water out of the bottom of the boat.

Zuko pulled hard on the oars, trying to keep the boat from toppling over. The sea was fierce against them, lightning lit up the sky and thunder bellowed in their ears. A sudden wave hit their boat, rocking it hard. Kaori let out a yelp, grabbing onto the side of the boat tightly and watched in horror as the wave hit Zuko. His hands reached out to grab onto the ship but missed by an inch. His back hit the side of the boat and he flipped over it, hitting the water with a splash.

It was like déjà vu for him- the water was icy and rough, throwing him around everywhere as he tried to pull himself to the surface. His body was pulled left and right with the waves and each time he tried to move up he was pulled down again. His lungs were burning and he felt the familiar light headedness that he had felt not long ago. For a moment he managed to break to the surface, gasping for air, catching sight of a terrified Kaori stretching out her hand for him, screaming something, but before he could speak a word or make a move, the water had pulled him down again, claiming him as it's own.

There was no possible way for him to reach the surface again, the water was to angry, to harsh, to strong. He was a Fire Bender, water was not his element, not his skill. He had no power over this water, it was in control. His eyes were getting heavy as the fire in his lungs grew stronger. He let out the last gulp of air that was stored in his throat and felt the burning of the salt water in his throat. His hands and legs felt limp and he felt like he was floating in…nothing, really.

In front of him was a shape and as it came closer, his vision grew fuzzy. A…mermaid? But those were in legends, they weren't real…but it was a girl, her hair was flowing all around her…beads in her hair…beautiful… Zuko reached out a hand towards her, he wanted to touch one of the beads. She swam towards him, her clothes flowing- clothes? Since when did mermaids wear clothes…? And where was her tail- this mermaid wasn't doing the legend correctly and he wanted to tell her that, but the world was becoming increasingly darker. He watched as the mermaid blew out the air in her mouth, and he felt a sadness grow in him. Now the mermaid didn't have any air, now she would drown too. But..she was a mermaid, so she could breath underwater.

As the world grew darker, he thought he saw the mermaid reach for the air bubbles that drifted up towards the surface. He saw her grab them and pull them back down, saw her bring them towards him, slipping them past his lips… He felt her wrap an arm around his waist and sweep her other arm downwards, propelling them upwards. He felt the cold breeze of the wind hitting his face and then all went dark…

"Live, dammit, you will live!"

Zuko's eyes fluttered open slowly, the fuzzy figure of a girl above him. He felt raindrops hitting his forehead but as he blinked, he saw that the clouds looked lighter almost, at least a little.

With a gasp, he sat up, clutching his chest, and Kaori sat back in the boat, closing her eyes.

"God you scared me…" she whispered.

"Kaori…" Zuko breathed in and out quickly, trying to catch his breath. "The storm- I was- I fell- I didn't-" He looked at her. "Did you save me?" He glanced her over, taking note of her wet clothing, it must have been her then…not a mermaid.

Kaori nodded, breathing slowly, her eyes still closed. "Yes, Teken, that was me," She opened her eyes a little. "I thought I didn't make it in time,"

Zuko sat back, putting a hand on his chest, trying to get control of his breathing. His lungs felt raw, a feeling he had hoped to never feel again, but at least it wasn't as bad as the last time. "Thank you," he said after a moment.

Kaori looked exhausted, like something had taken all the energy out of her. "It was so hard to get you out of the water…I almost…I almost didn't make it…" Strands of hair were plastered to the side of her face. She stared at him through what little she had her eyes open. "You can't…you can't tell, Teken. You can't tell anybody…"

Zuko looked at her curiously. "Tell anyone what?" he asked, but she had already fallen asleep.

As she slept, he took the oars and began to row the boat. The skies were clearing slowly and he sighed. There was no way their map had made it through the storm, but the least he could do was try and navigate them to an island so they could restock. He rowed in silence, staring out at the water or sometimes at Kaori.

After an hour, he saw Kaori crack open her eyes.

"Teken…" she whispered. "Ships…" Then her eyes closed again. Zuko turned around, shock filling his entire body. She was wrong on one account- there wasn't many ships, only one, and he knew that ship by heart. It was his ship, his very own ship. The boat was headed in the direction of the ship, too, propelled by the wind. As they got closer to it, he heard guards on board calling out that there was a small boat approaching. Zuko couldn't help but smile as he saw Uncle Iroh come to the railing to look out, and he swore he small a smile break out on his uncle's face.

The boat was lifted up and Zuko stepped out of the wooden ship and onto his metal one, more than happy to be on a steadier ship. He heard Kaori shuffle behind him but Uncle Iroh had enveloped him in a hug.

"You're here! Have you been at sea all this time? Everyone was so worried- I was so worried!" Uncle Iroh exclaimed, hugging his nephew happily.

Zuko pushed him away slightly, smiling at the old man. "I'm alright, and no, I haven't been at sea this whole time,"

Uncle Iroh looked past Zuko's shoulder, raising an eyebrow as he caught sight of Kaori. "Well, I can see that!" He nudged Zuko's shoulder. "So…what have you been up to this whole time?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Zuko rolled his eyes and turned around to see Kaori standing up, her eyes wide and rather fearful. "Teken…" she whispered, "This…this is…where are….why are…."

"Someone get a blanket for her," Uncle Iroh called out. "Can't you see she is soaking wet? Where are your manners?" He motioned for a guard to go and get her a blanket, then he gave Kaori a smile. "My apologies, miss." He looked over at Zuko. "Did you happen to go through that storm,"

Zuko nodded. "We almost didn't make it,"

Kaori stepped out of the small, wooden boat quietly, glancing around her. She came to stand behind Zuko, whispering so only he could hear, "This ship…they're fire benders, Teken…we need to get out of here…"

Zuko stared at her, unsure of what to say, and Uncle Iroh raised an eyebrow in confusion. He turned though, smiling as he saw a guard approaching with a blanket…and another figure.

"I hear we have visitors!" General Zhao exclaimed, holding out his hands. "I've come to see with my own eyes for I simply did not believe what I heard!"

Uncle Iroh nodded and laughed. "Yes, my nephew has returned to me in the most dramatic fashion, but returned none the less,"

Zuko felt Kaori tense behind him. "Ne..phew…?" she whispered and Zuko wanted to turn around and quickly explain things to her. By not being able to explain, he felt that things were getting worse.

"No….it can't be…."

Zuko looked at Zhao, who appeared to be in a state of furious shock. He was looking at Zuko, hands clenched, but…no… Zuko glanced behind him, moving to the left a little. He wasn't looking at him…he was looking at…Kaori?

"What is it, General Zhao? Is something the matter?" Uncle Iroh asked, looking as confused as Zuko felt.

Zhao scowled, a small burst of fire coming from his hands. "You!" he yelled, and Kaori let out a hiss, her eyes narrowing.

"I would never forget that ugly face," she said, her own hands clenching until her knuckles turned white. Zuko blinked. What was going on?

"You've grown so much, I see," Zhao sneered at her, taking a step forward.

"You…you're a monster," Kaori yelled.

Zuko looked back and forth between them, then moved in front of Kaori. "What's going on, Zhao?"

Kaori grabbed Zuko's shoulder, turning him to face her quickly. "You know him?!" she exclaimed incredulously.

"I..I.." Zuko began, and Zhao laughed.

"Oh, I've known Prince Zuko for a long time, longer than you have," Zhao answered, raising an eyebrow with a smirk.

Kaori stared at Zuko, her eyes widening. "Prince Zuko?" she said quickly. "That's not your name, your name is Teken, you're not…tell me you're not Zuko! Tell me that you're Teken!"

Zuko stared at her, his mouth opening and closing- he could not answer her, and in his silence she knew his confirmation. With a howl, Kaori pushed away from Zuko, her eyes wild and hurt. Zuko reached out to her but she slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me!" she exclaimed and Zhao laughed again.

"Did you not know?" He said, laughing harder. "You poor, pathetic, naïve girl! You've been in the presence of the Prince of the Fire Nation and you didn't know!"

"Shut up!" Kaori screamed, taking a step towards Zhao. She raised her hands to him and Zuko took a step forward, only to be stopped by Uncle Iroh, who shook his head, watching the scene carefully. Zuko looked at Kaori with panic in his eyes. She couldn't fight Zhao- Zhao was a fire bender and a good one at that. He was strong and skilled in his trait. And Kaori…she was just an island girl. He had seen her be hit by Tonu and Zhao was greater than that boy.

"You…you killed my parents!" Kaori cried, her eyes narrowing and her body tensing up.

Zhao's eyes burned and he smirked, his expression evil. "Yes…and you should have died along with them…you filthy little air bender!"

Kaori let out a yell, running towards Zhao and jumping into the air, spinning once so that a blow of air was thrown in Zhao's direction. He struck out his arm, breaking the air.

Zuko stared at Kaori, his eyes wide and his body frozen in shock. What had Zhao said? An…air bender? But it wasn't possible! The only air bender alive was the avatar and he knew for a fact that Kaori wasn't the avatar! She was an island girl- there could only be one avatar and he had fought that boy many times! So what was Kaori? How was she an air bender? And how had he not known? For a moment he paused- there were signs all around him that she had been…he simply hadn't noticed… The way she jumped over the fire…down in the water…the way she moved the air bubbles and propelled them upwards… He should have known…

Would it have changed anything?

Kaori shot another blast of air towards Zhao, breaking past one of his bursts of fire, when two guards came from behind her, tackling her down, each laid against her, keeping her hands down as she struggled. A third rushed up to her, putting a piece of cloth in her mouth.

Zuko pushed past Uncle Iroh. "What do you think you're doing?! Release her immediately!" he yelled, watching in horror as the guards pulled Kaori up, binding her hands behind her back. She struggled wildly, her eyes furious.

Zhao looked over at Zuko as if he was just a passing thought. "This girl is very dangerous. She is in my custody now. She will receive the treatment that every air bender has received." He glanced at the guards. "Take her below my ship, to the prisoner's hold."

Zuko stepped forward. "But this is my ship! You have no authority here!"

Zhao shook his head. "Not anymore. You have no authority, banished prince. This is my ship now and she is my prisoner." He smirked at Zuko and walked down a flight of stairs, disappearing from sight. The guards followed after him and Kaori looked back at Zuko. Her eyes were narrowed and he swore that if she was a fire bender, he would be dead. Her gaze pierced him, causing him physical pain. Her eyes spoke volumes, more than she ever could have spoke. As they disappeared, Zuko let out a yell, beginning to run towards where they had gone but Uncle Iroh stopped him.

"Do not hold me back Uncle!" He yelled, pushing Uncle Iroh off of him.

"No, Prince Zuko, General Zhao has every right to finish the job that he had started,"

Zuko stared in horror at his uncle. "NO! I won't let him!"

"Zuko," Uncle Iroh said, looking calm. "Keep your anger under control. It will do no good if you're temper is wild when we develop our rescue plan,"

Zuko was silent for a moment, taking a deep breath, letting his Uncle's words flow over him. "Rescue?" he asked, and Uncle Iroh nodded.

"Let us go devise a plan inside. We can have some tea. I've got some saved for you,"

He put a hand on Zuko's back, leading him inside and Zuko took another deep breath. He wanted to go straight down there and release Kaori but Uncle was right. This was something that took time, took precision. He would do this right and he would set Kaori free. All of this, it was his fault, and he wouldn't let his mistake be her death.

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Review lovely people, I love your reviews : )


	8. Chapter Eight: Prisoner

So! This chapter is specifically dedicated to a reader! She knows who she is : ) Her message made my day though! I wasn't planning on writing tonight, but after getting that message, I'm inspired!! See? You guys should comment more, cause then I write more : ) Hehe! Anyway, like every time, off I go! (Sorry if it's in italics….my word thing messes up sometimes…)

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Chapter 8 : Prisoner

Kaori sat in her cell, eyes furious. There was a gag in her mouth and her hands and feet were bound, leaving her simply propped up against the wall, unable to move. She stared at the bars in front of her, fuming. She was so stupid, so very stupid- how could she have trusted him? She had gone with her gut, with her _heart Aliruko would tell her, only because it had felt like the right thing to do. The right thing. Obviously it wasn't; she had been imprisoned by the man that had murdered her parents because she had set off in a boat alone with the Prince of the Fire Nation. Who she had kissed. Twice. _

_Rage boiled in her and for a moment she struggled against her binds, groaning a bit, but the rope didn't budge. Closing her eyes, Kaori pushed her head back against the wall, frustrated beyond belief. There was nothing she could do. She would meet her fate and then her life…that would be that. She would die in this cell, this dirty and grimy cell. _

_Her eyes snapped open as she heard the door creak open. A young woman approached her slowly, eyes cautious. She was dressed very plainly, her hair tied back into a bun on the top of her head. In her calloused hands she carried a small bowl with a spoon sticking out of it. _

_Kaori's eyes narrowed as the woman stepped closer to her, but the woman held out her hands. "Please, stay quiet, I am simply here to take care of you," _

_She got to her knees, looking at Kaori sternly before reaching forward and pulling the gag down. Kaori let out a breath, glaring at the woman, although thankful for the rag to be gone. "Who are you?" _

_The young woman smiled a little and shook her head. "Nobody important. Just a servant." _

"_Why are you here?" Kaori growled, glancing at the bowl. Poison? _

_The young woman shrugged her thin shoulders. "I don't like to see suffering. I've fed and helped ease the time of all the prisoners who have come through this room," She motioned to the bowl. "I've brought you some water. I know that you're tied up, so if you would just let me give you some…" _

_Kaori turned her head sharply away from the woman. "I do not accept help from anyone in the Fire Nation." _

_The woman sighed softly, staring at the bowl of water. "You won't get very much…" she whispered. "Please…let me help," _

_She lifted up the bowl, holding the spoon out to Kaori. Kaori bit her lip, knowing that she would need any strength she could get. Throwing her pride away, she turned her head towards the young woman, closing her eyes tightly. The young woman put the spoon up to Kaori's lips and she drank quickly. _

"_There," The young woman said with a smile, letting Kaori take three more spoonfuls, "That wasn't so hard, and I'm sure you feel a lot better," She picked up the bowl and the spoon, getting to her feet and heading towards the door, not waiting for Kaori to thank her- perhaps she already knew that there would be no thanks here. _

"_Wait," Kaori called out suddenly, her eyes intense. The young woman turned around, looking surprised. _

"_Yes?" She asked, blinking once. _

"_P…Prince Zuko…" Kaori managed to say the name off her tongue- she didn't like it, not at all. It sounded foreign and wrong. "What can you tell me about him?" After all, she knew nothing about him. She knew about Teken and what he was like, but not this Zuko. _

_The young woman raised an eyebrow, shrugging her shoulders again. "I do not know very much about the prince," she answered. "I work on his ship and I rarely see him. I've heard from the other workers that he has a quick temper and is as stubborn as an ox." She smiled a little. "We've been taken everywhere on this ship…all because of the avatar," _

_Kaori frowned slightly. "Why the avatar?" _

_The young woman's eyes opened a little. "You mean you do not know? Prince Zuko was banished from his home! The only way he can return and regain his honor is by capturing the avatar! He'll stop at nothing to capture him, I think that is why his temper is so…short," _

_Kaori stared at the woman, then broke eye contact, looking away, which was a signal for the woman to leave, which she did silently. Teken…was he really the same person as Prince Zuko? Teken had never gotten angry- well, except when Tonu had hit her. He had been reserved and quiet, cautious and thoughtful, almost sorrowful in a way. Resigned. Stubborn. How could they be the same person? How could someone from the Fire Nation have made her feel like… _

_Like perhaps it didn't matter who she was. _

_XxXxXxX _

"_I just don't understand, Uncle," Zuko said, pacing back and forth in his room. Uncle Iroh sat at a small table, sipping a cup of tea slowly. "How could she be an air bender? They're all dead!" _

_Uncle Iroh took a sip of tea and shook his head. "I do not know, perhaps that is something we will never learn, except from Kaori herself," _

_Zuko stopped for a moment, clenching his fists, then continued pacing. "And Zhao…he's been searching for her all this time but couldn't find her because she was on that island…" _

"_Quite a stroke of luck, if you ask me," Uncle Iroh said pointedly. _

_Zuko stopped, reaching forward and putting a hand against the metal wall, putting his weight against it. "And now she's been captured," he muttered. "It's all my fault," _

"_You didn't know, Prince Zuko, you couldn't have," _

_Zuko turned around, facing his uncle. "But I should have been able to do something! If I had my honor, Zhao would have had to listen to me!" _

"_Well," Uncle Iroh said slowly. "You do not have your honor. So what are you going to do?" _

_Zuko frowned, looking downwards. "I don't know…" he muttered. _

"_I think first," Uncle Iroh said, taking another sip of tea. "-you should talk to the girl. You cannot help a prisoner escape if they are not willing to accept your help," _

_Zuko nodded, but inside he was filled with dread. Kaori wouldn't want to talk to him, he had seen the way she had looked at him. She wanted him gone, away from her and he completely understood. He was everything she hated in the world, he represented her nightmares. _

_XxXxXxX_

_An hour or two later, Zuko wandered the halls, glancing each way to make sure no one was approaching. The last thing he wanted was for someone to see him and report him back to Zhao. All he needed was ten minutes alone with Kaori to talk to her and at least convince her to let him help her escape- she didn't need to stay with him or even enjoy the help, he just wanted her out of here. _

_Zuko turned a corner and stopped. Footsteps, he heard footsteps. Quickly he hid around the corner, breathing softly. When the footsteps were close enough, he reached out, grabbing the figure that was passing by, and holding an enflamed hand to their neck. It was a young woman, trembling in his grasp, her eyes wide. _

"_You never saw me here," Zuko whispered, and the woman nodded quickly. Zuko released her, watching her scramble down the hall, then turned and headed towards the cell. The closer he got to them, the more dread he felt. She hated him, he knew that, he just didn't know why it hurt to know. He didn't know why he didn't want her to hate him. _

_Zuko opened the door slowly, aware that the room was dim and dirty. He flinched at the thought of Kaori in here, yet she was. She was sitting in the corner of her cell- from where he stood, he could see red marks on her wrists and ankles from where she was bound. The gag that had been in her mouth was on the floor though, and for that he was glad. _

"_Kaori-" he whispered. _

"_How do you know that's my name?" she snapped at him, staring daggers into his eyes. _

_Zuko swallowed hard. "I'm going to get you out of here," _

_She looked away, scowling. "I don't need your help," she muttered. "I don't want your help," _

_Zuko leaned forward, grabbing onto the bars. "Yes, you do, you'll never get out of here without me," _

_She looked at him for a moment before staring at the wall again. "Why should I trust you? You're the one that led me here anyway," _

_He paused, letting that sink in, and then quietly exclaimed, "You think I did this on purpose? I didn't know that we'd run into my ship!" _

"_Speaking of!" she exclaimed, cutting him off, "How could you lie about who you really were? You're the Prince of the Fire Nation, you didn't think that was a little important?" _

"_Well, you didn't say you were an air bender!" _

"_All the air benders are dead, it's a secret that has good reason to be kept!" _

"_And some people aren't supportive of the Fire Nation, especially you, so I had to keep who I was a secret!" _

_They stared at each other, both furious looking and both stubborn, until Kaori finally relented, easing her tension and rolling her eyes. "I guess we both have secrets," _

_Zuko nodded, "I guess we do," he agreed. _

_She looked at him hard. "So, you'll help me…and then what? I'm supposed to walk back to my island?" _

_Zuko shook his head. "I'll find you a ship that goes near there, or a boat even, and get you supplies. We'll find a way, my Uncle and I," _

_Kaori stared at Zuko for a long moment and then closed her eyes. "If I don't get back to the island…I don't know what will happen… They need me there…" _

"_I'll get you there," Zuko said fiercely, and Kaori opened her eyes, startled at his intensity. He sounded so sincere, for a moment she almost believed him. _

"_Teke-….." she paused for a moment, tasting the new name on her tongue before speaking it. "Zuko," she said at least, refusing to call him "prince". "I have to get back to the island, it is of dire importance," _

"_So you can marry Tonu?" Zuko asked bitterly, scowling, and Kaori shook her head. _

"_No, I mean, well, I don't want to, and I'm hoping to change that. It's just-" She shook her head again. "My name isn't just Kaori, Zuko, it's Princess Kaori Nyghai of The Island of Misfits." _

_Zuko blinked. "You're…royalty?" _

_Kaori nodded. "It was my family that started the island. We used to have thousands of villagers, but in the last couple of decades, our numbers have dwindled down because of the war," _

_It made sense now, Zuko realized as he looked at her. This was why the council had told her news of the outside world. This was why she had to be married. This was why no one interrupted the fight she had with Tonu. Not because it wasn't their business, but because it wasn't their place. She was their leader, their ruler. It seemed odd, and yet, at the same time, it made complete sense. _

"_But, how are you an air bender, I don't understand…" Zuko said slowly, shaking his head. _

_Kaori rolled her eyes, looking frustrated. "I can't believe I'm talking to a Fire Nation Prince…" she muttered beneath her breath, glaring at him, then said louder, "It's a story I would have to tell you," _

_Zuko nodded, sitting down and leaning against the bars. "Then tell me," _

_Kaori nodded, then opened her mouth and spoke. _

_XxXxXxXxXxX _

_Awwww you get the story next time. Much more detail than the other version. Also, in the other version, Aang, Katara, and Sokka are all in it, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to take them out. Maybe. I might try and work them in, but I dunno. We'll see. Laters though people! _


	9. Chapter Nine : Haru and Delra

Hello my readers! Because I actually have readers now! AH! I love you all! So hopefully my word doesn't glitch and put it in either bold wording or italics…sorry about that again… Don't blame me, blame my computer, I encourage you to do so. It makes me smile so much every time I read a review or a message or see that the story has been favorited! It makes me so happy!!!!!! Just thought you should know that : )

And yeah, haha, in response to one review, Kaori is kind of bi-polar. She's written to be like air though- like…wind. Wind isn't subtle- it's one way or another. It's either light and calming, or a nice and friendly breeze, or it's wild and crazy. Kaori shows every single emotion she feels- it takes effort for her to hold them back, which is why she's so much fun to write! : D

Enjoy this chapter! Lets go to the past!

XxXxXxXxX

Chapter Nine : Haru and Delra

Haru sat on a table, balancing a leaf in the air. His expression was thoughtful and he contemplated how to solve his problems. He was not a good problem solver though- it had never been his area of expertise, he was fine with that really, too. The wind blew through the trees, and Haru looked up. This place was beautiful, he had to admit that. The temple stood on the top of a huge mountain, unreachable by anyone who wasn't an air bender. But he wasn't stuck up here- below the mountain was a small village, which was where they bought their supplies from. Still, nothing compared to the view of the clouds and the smell of the wind all around him- well, nothing that no one knew about anyway.

That was the heart of his problem.

A boy slammed into the room to Haru's left, interrupting his thoughts. Most of the kids around here all looked the same, all with the same orange and yellow clothes, blue arrows on their heads. Not that Haru looked any different, but at least he didn't have to attend the classes that they did- after turning twenty, he was being taught how to be a proper monk. Which he hated. Very much.

"What's got you down, kid?" Haru asked, raising an eyebrow at the boy.

The boy turned and looked at Haru, his shoulders slumping suddenly, as if all the anger had been blown out of them. "They won't play air ball with me!"

Smiling, Haru jumped off the table, coming over and putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Cause you're the avatar, right?"

The boy nodded. "It isn't all it's cracked up to be. I just want things to go back to the way BEFORE I was the avatar,"

Haru sighed, leading the boy over to a balcony, then laid his elbows on the railing, his head in his hands. "Oh…don't we all…"

The boy looked at him, startled. "Wait, what do you mean?"

Haru laughed, standing up straighter and slapped the boy on the back. "Relax, Aang, I'm just kidding," He laughed as the boy smiled at him- it was a breath of fresh air that this kid could take a joke. "Sometimes…sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do," Haru's voice trailed off at the end and he stared out at the sky.

The boy, Aang, scowled a little. "But it's so unfair,"

Haru sighed. "Kid…" he said softly. "Life is always going to be unfair. The only thing you can do is go right along with it. Keep up with it. Show it what you can do," He smiled and patted Aang on the shoulder. "And kid, you're going to do a lot,"

Aang looked at Haru, his eyes pleading for an answer. "But how do you know? No one treats me the same!"

Haru shrugged. "That's cause they know what you're going to do," He paused for a moment, grinning slowly. "Now…myself on the other hand…well…I'm not going to treat you differently… Cause to me…you're always going to be as thin as a stick…as bald as new baby…and as obnoxious as one too, baby brother!" Quickly, laughing, he took the glider from his back and jumped off the balcony, soaring into the air.

"Hey!" Aang yelled, taking out his glider as well. "For the record, you're just as bald as I am!"

XxXxXxXxX

Haru walked through the town, ignoring the looks he got. Even though the air benders had always done trade in this village, they were still stared at. Sure, the clothes and the blue arrow made him stick out, but sometimes he got tired of the looks. Like he was someone on parade for these people's entertainment. It was hard to pretend to be invisible when you were in training to become a monk.

Haru followed a trail that led him away from the town, towards the river that swirled around it. He passed by a few women returning from the river, fresh laundry balanced on their hips and he waved at them pleasantly. He had always been a charmer, able to make friends with anyone. His blue eyes were kind and something about them was trusting.

Haru paused, glancing around the river. No one. He stepped closer to the river, frowning when he saw a pad of paper and a pencil on the ground. A sketch had been abandoned, only half way done.

Suddenly, he could not see, as two hands covered his eyes. "Gotcha! Guess who?" A voice said, and Haru smiled widely.

"Could it be…a baboon monkey?" he asked, and the hands were taken away.

He turned around to face the girl, Delra, as she gasped. "I do not," she exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips, "-sound like a baboon monkey!"

Haru laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "It wasn't me who said it…"

Delra walked towards him, coming to a stop when her nose almost touched his. "Who? Who said it? You tell me right now and I swear I'll-"

Haru put a finger against her lips, wrapping his other hand around her waist. He removed his finger from her lips, putting that hand instead against her cheek. "Gotcha…" he whispered, pressing his lips against hers softly. He felt Delra chuckle quietly as she responded to him, her own lips just as soft against his, yet filled with so many words and emotions.

When their lips parted, Haru looked into Delra's brown eyes, smiling gently. "I miss you," he said quietly. "You're all I could think about,"

Delra placed a hand against the back of his neck, leaning her forehead against his. "But you shouldn't…" she whispered.

For three years, Haru had been seeing Delra- the best three years of his entire life. He had seen her one day in town when she was giving a presentation to her people. Her father and mother had stood beside her, looking proud, but Haru knew that look in her eyes- the same one he had worn so many times. She didn't want to be there, she wanted to be somewhere else. Somewhere free. But she had her duties as royalty to attend to- there was no freedom in that.

They had spoken after her presentation and Delra had been instantly enthralled with him. He was an air bender, exciting and wild, and something about him drew her closer. Haru had never met someone who made him feel like the element he could bend. Delra was beautiful- long black hair all the way down to her thin waist, eyes as brown as chestnuts, skin as pale as the moon. He had never seen someone like her before, someone so gorgeous and so filled with opinions and ideas.

All he wanted in life was Delra.

"I can't help it, Delra," Haru whispered, closing his eyes. "I tried, you know I tried and I know you did too, but it's pointless now. I love you,"

Delra took a breath, closing her eyes as well and moving closer to him. "I love you too," she said gently, "But…but we cannot be…I've…I've been telling you this since the beginning…"

Haru shook his head just the slightest, opening his eyes and threading his hand through her hair. "Delra…" he said quietly. "Won't you marry me? Won't you be mine for the rest of our lives…"

Delra stared at him, her eyes pained as they pricked with tears. "Haru…" she whispered, her voice strained. "You know how badly I want to say yes…but…the council…you know that it is your law for you to marry a woman from the temple,"

Haru tightened his grip on her. "I refuse, I'll tell them that Delra. I don't want some random woman that the council says I must have. I want you and only you and that will not change," He kissed her rather hard, holding her tightly and gasping when he broke his lips from hers. "I'm going to approach the council, I'm going to ask them for your hand,"

Delra closed her eyes, putting her hand on his cheek. "We cannot win…" she whispered.

Haru pulled her to him again, tightly. "You will see," he said forcefully, to himself or to her he did not know.

XxXxXxXxX

"Step forward…..Haru," Five old men looked at him, each wearing their monk robes, each more prestigious than the next. The only one that Haru truly liked was the one that was teaching his brother, Aang, but he could not remember his name.

"Speak, young monk,"

Haru bowed at the waist, raising back up, his expression serious and professional. "Council," he said slowly. "I come before you today to ask a request. I have been an honorable pupil-"

"Except for the time you stole from the market vendors," one council member spoke up, frowning.

"Or taught the children inappropriate words to call their elders," another added, and the others nodded in agreement.

Haru winced. "Y-yes…those were…unfortunate times. I was young though and immature, foolish but with my years I have grew in wisdom." He stood taller. "I am ready to take on a wife,"

The council raised their eyebrows, looking at one another until finally someone spoke. "You wish to take a wife…very well…we will see who is a suitable match for you here in the temple and return to you with our answer,"

Haru hesitated. The center monk gave him a curious expression. "Was there more?" he asked.

Haru nodded. "Y-yes. I wish," He swallowed hard. "I wish to marry a woman that I have already chosen. Princess Delra Yuogoi,"

There was a collective gasp and the center monk stood up. "Absolutely not!" he exclaimed, swiping his hand. "It is against the law for a monk to marry outside of the temple! We must preserve our air bending genes and if you marry outside of the temple, you cannot do that!"

Haru took a step forward. "But I love her, you cannot stop that!"

The monk who taught Aang raised a hand. "Perhaps we should consider-"

"No!" Another monk yelled. "The law is the law!" He looked at Haru sharply. "You should break your contact with this girl immediately- her world is not yours, young monk, and you should know you're place. You were born an air temple monk, and you will die as one- with a wife or without one!"

Haru stood there, his body frozen in shock before he turned quickly, running from the council. His eyes were burning but all he wanted to do was get away from them. How could they tell him no? How could they defy the strongest emotion in the world- love? Did they not understand- had they not felt it before?

"Haru? Haru, wait, stop!"

Haru turned around sharp, facing a confused looking Aang.

"Where are you going?" Aang asked, as Haru turned around, continuing in the direction he was heading. Haru ground his teeth together as he heard Aang following him.

"I don't know," Haru growled.

"But what's the matter?" Aang asked. He stepped in front of Haru, blocking his way.

Haru closed his eyes for a moment, clenching his fists. "Aang…" he said slowly. "Get out of my way,"

Aang shook his head. "Not until you tell me what's wrong,"

Haru let out an exasperated groan. "Life! Life is what's wrong!"

"Life's unfair…right, Haru? Sometimes you just have to do what you're told…"

Haru got down on his knees, putting his hands on Aang's shoulders. "Don't you ever," he whispered. "Ever believe that. Aang, you are the avatar, and you can't run from that and the duties that come with it, but don't you let them tell you what kind of avatar to be. You decide for yourself what kind of person to be and what you believe in, don't let them take that away from you,"

He stood up quickly, stepping past Aang and walking towards the exit.

"Haru, but where are you going? What are you going to do Haru?"

Haru turned and looked at his little brother, wincing a bit on the inside. His baby brother…he might need him in the future, but Haru could not look past his own heart. He could not survive here. "I'm going to do what I need to do, Aang. You're going to make an incredible avatar, I know it. The world…it will know it too,"

He turned quickly, continuing on his way and wiping his eyes free of any sign of tears. Aang stood there, looking bewildered, not knowing that this would be the last time he would ever see his brother again.

XxXxXxX

Haru tapped on the window quietly but in a hurried manner. "Delra," he whispered. "Delra, open the window,"

He smiled as he saw her approaching and the window flipped open. "Haru?" she whispered, her eyes widening. "What…what are you doing here?"

He motioned her to move aside and pulled himself through the window, glancing around at her room- he had never seen it before and he supposed it was the proper room for a princess. It was heavily decorated and her bed looked as if it had a thousand blankets on it. Still, it was better to be standing than hovering outside her window.

"I talked to the council," he said quickly.

He heard her sharp intake of air. "And?" She came over to him, her hands on his chest. He took her wrist's in his, holding onto them tightly.

"And…and they said no," he whispered, and at her fallen expression he shook his head. "But I won't let them dictate my life, I want to be with you, and I will be."

She stared at him, eyes wide again. "But what are we supposed to-"

"Run away with me," Haru said simply. "Run away with me and lets never look back. We'll find somewhere to live, Delra, you and me and we'll be happy. Forever,"

Delra closed her eyes, her mouth quivering. "But…I have duties here…I can't…"

"Delra," He put a hand on the back of her head gently. "Do you want to be with me?"

"More than anything," she breathed. "You know that,"

"Then don't think about your duties, I'm not thinking about mine. What do you want to do, Delra? Tell me,"

"I want…" she said slowly. "I want to be with you. Forever,"

He kissed her lips softly and she closed her eyes, tilting her head back. "Then pack your things…" he whispered against her lips. "And come with me,"

XxXxXxXxX

Kaori opened her eyes, staring at Zuko who had been captivated by the story of her ancestors. "She did, go with him I mean. They left that night and no one heard from them again. They couldn't find them, no matter how hard they searched. In the end, we know that they came to an island and grew to be the rulers of it,"

"So you're an air bender because…" Zuko began, and Kaori nodded.

"Because it's in my blood. My grandmother was the first to actually notice the bending ability, my father didn't have it, but they saw it in me," She said, closing her eyes and sighing softly.

Zuko stared at her, gripping the bars. He turned his head, hearing footsteps approaching. "I will get you out of here," he whispered quickly, and she merely stared at him, neither trusting nor disbelieving.

Zuko got to his feet, walking to the door and then turned to look at her. "Kaori…" he began, wanting to say much more, though he wasn't even sure what that was. He shook his head and left the room, pulling the door shut behind him with a slam.


	10. Chapter Ten No title

I am back! : ) You are all such lovely readers, really, you all make me so happy!!! I just want to let you all now that I'll be going to Kentucky for a couple days to see off my brother- he's deploying to Afghanistan : ( But when I'm back, be assured that a new chapter will be posted : ) So, lets continue!

P.S. Some of you might be wondering why this story is rated T. Well, there aren't any lemons or stuff like that, but there are some things that happen in this that are rather violent and some adult situations. I promise, no lemons though, you won't be reading anything like that- just disturbing stuff.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The sky had an orange glow to it as the sun went down, making it look as if someone had set the clouds aflame. The air around him was hot but he felt so cold; so cold as he stared at Kaori. He watched the guards remove the gag from her mouth and throw it to the iron floor. He watched her long hair blow in the wind, crossing over her face and over her wild eyes that stared directly at him. They were angry. Furious. Hurt. Upset. Betrayed. So many things that he couldn't process at once and yet these eyes were forcing him to.

There were three guards behind her, although it was not possible for her to run away, they were just a precautionary measure. She was tied to a metal chair, her wrists and ankles bruised from her chains. Her clothes were ripped and torn, the skin showing marked up and turning colors.

He wanted to go to her, he wanted to set her free. He wanted to be the person that she needed him to be. He wanted to be with her, he wanted to know how to do that.

Zhao stepped forward and the sky darkened, becoming an ungodly dark red. Zuko opened his mouth but no sound came out, nothing at all. He tried to take a step forward but his feet would not move.

Kaori's eyes detached from his and focused on Zhao, looking bold and defiant. She sat up, raising her chin as if to egg him on. As if to show him she was not afraid.

He watched as Zhao took out a blade, watched it glimmer. Something inside of him curled up and his face surely showed the agony that he felt.

Zhao raised the blade into the air, smirking widely, this was what it all came down to. This is what Zhao had been meant to finish.

Zuko's hands clenched and he could feel his heart racing. No, no, no, he had to get to her, he had to save her.

Zhao brought the blade down, stabbing it into Kaori's heart. Blood blossomed on her shirt and her eyes went wide. She made a choking sound and then her head lowered, eyes still frozen.

Zuko let out a silent scream, trying to move, only to fall to the ground. He could save her, he knew he could, he knew he wasn't to late but the blood…there was so much blood… And Zhao…he was laughing, he was laughing so much and Zuko wanted to shut him up once and for all.

Something caught his attention as he watched Kaori lift up her head. She stared at him, blood bubbling at the corner of her lips. "Teken…" she whispered, her voice echoing. "What a nice name…"

Zuko shot up in bed, his breathing hard and fast. With wide eyes he glanced around, trying to regain control over his breath. His room, he was in his room on his ship. It had been a dream…no, a nightmare. A terrible nightmare. Zuko laid back down slowly, unable to close his eyes- he knew he would see that image again. His skin was covered in a thin layer of sweat and he shivered slightly. The nightmare had been unnerving, so realistic and yet…

He had felt something so strong from the nightmare, so powerful, and he wasn't sure what he thought of it. It made him feel vulnerable and that made him feel weak and yet… He was drawn to this feeling; he had never experienced it before.

Zuko turned on his side, staring at the wall. No matter what he felt, he would get Kaori out by the coming nightfall. He would not let a nightmare become reality.

XxXxXxXxX

"Good morning, Prince Zuko," Zhao greeted him, seated at the head of a long table- seated in what was usually Zuko's seat in the small, ship dining hall.

Zuko glanced at Uncle Iroh, who looked at him pointedly. Zuko managed to give Zhao a small nod. "General," he said, although the words were hard to get out. He sat down across from Uncle Iroh, staring at his plate. The servants slowly brought in lunch, a tray of freshly cooked meat and sliced fruit. Uncle Iroh served himself first, passed the tray to Zuko who served himself hardly any food. Zuko's hands twitched on the tray and he slid it down to Zhao, resisting the urge to throw it.

Zhao served himself and then bit into a chunk of meat, chewing noisily. "So, Prince Zuko, I hope that your evening is free,"

Zuko glanced up from the pieces of fruit he had been pushing around. "Why is that?" he muttered.

Zhao swallowed then took a long chug of water. "Because I plan on executing the prisoner as soon as we hit land, which will be by the late afternoon,"

Zuko almost choked on the piece of fruit he had thrown into his mouth, but he managed to swallow it hard. Uncle Iroh held his cup of tea half way to his lips, looking shocked.

"So soon, General Zhao? Surely you want to give the girl a trial or some time, an execution takes a long time to prepare…"

Zhao laughed, slamming his cup down as he did so. "I've been planning this execution for some time now!" His eyes slid to Zuko, testing the boy. "An execution doesn't have to be pretty. Especially of a wench."

Zuko stared at Zhao, forcing back all his biting comments and all his rage- his uncle had never been more proud of him.

"I completely agree," Zuko managed to say, returning his attention to his food.

Zhao let out a 'humph' and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I'll be expecting you to be in the front row, Prince Zuko, at least that will show you still have some honor left,"

Zuko stared at his food, glad that he had his mouth full and could not answer.

Kaori. He would not let her die. That would not happen.

XxXxXxXxX

Kaori sat in her cell, clothes dirty and hair matted. What she wanted right now was a shower, that was her one desire. Well, she supposed her one desire was to be out of this cell, but a shower was a close second. She could practically feel the dirt moving on her skin.

Ever since she had been little, Kaori had learned that there would be people in the world who would not appreciate her talent. Every knock on her parent's door was regarded with caution, they were always expecting people to find them, and one day, they were found. That was the day that man, that Zhao, had killed her parents. She had escaped him and he had never found her. Many people had died that day- villagers that would not help him search for her as she hid on the island. She had wandered and wandered for a hiding spot until she came to a waterfall. It had been so beautiful that she knew this was where she was to hide for no one as ugly and evil as Zhao could enter such a precious spot.

And now, here she was in his cell. Trapped. A prisoner.

She stifled a laugh. She had managed to escape him but she should have known that eventually, all things that are lost get caught. But why did it have to involve Teken? No, that wasn't his name though, it was Zuko. Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, of all Nations.

She ground her teeth. He had lied to her, but then, she had never really asked him. She had never asked him where he had come from, what he was doing on her island. She had wanted to respect his past and let him tell her himself. She had seen his scar and knew that whatever burden he was carrying was a heavy one.

The worst part was that she wasn't entirely sure if she was upset with him. She wanted to be, but he had seemed so honest when he had said he would help her escape- like he actually meant it. Besides, there had to be more to the story. The only thing she knew about Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation was that he was the Fire Lord's only son- that was all. She frowned as the information passed through her head- if he was the only son, then why was he at sea? Didn't extravagant princes stay at home in their palace?

Sighing, she closed her eyes. Her body was tired and aching; the ties around her wrists and ankles had already left bruises. There was nothing she could do. Either Teken- Zuko- would help her or she would be executed.

She heard the door open slowly and she opened her eyes, expecting to see the young servant girl who had been bringing her food and water, but instead saw Zuko coming towards the bars of the cell. She scowled at him, yet inwardly cursed herself for the small flutter in her chest. How dare she feel that way when he entered the room! How dare she feel anything other than hate for what he was! And yet there was a part of her that didn't- the part that told him the story of her ancestors, the part that was allowing him to help her. She didn't know what this part was, only that it should belong to Teken, not some prince.

"Kaori," Zuko said softly. "We're landing very soon, we're just now turning so that we can dock safely. We've got a half an hour, tops,"

Kaori sat up a little, frowning. "You're still going to get me out of here." she stated, pushing down the fluttering feeling that lifted in her chest. No. She wouldn't feel like that.

Zuko nodded. "Yes. I'm getting you out now. When we dock, I'll already have you out of here and hidden. Zhao and his men will come down here to get you, but while they're doing that, I'll sneak you off the ship."

"And then what?" Kaori whispered, frowning deeper. "They'll search for me,"

Zuko nodded. "I've been on this island with my uncle before. About a mile away is another dock. We'll buy a boat from them and you can take it and escape. I'll stall Zhao as long as I can,"

Kaori stared at him- it was a good plan, she would give him that, but she doubted that it would actually work. Before she could comment, Zuko lifted his hands to the bars, examining them. He muttered something to himself and then stood up, going to the door of the cell. He placed his hand on the lock, taking a deep breath, and Kaori saw the metal glow red as he melted it.

There, she said to herself, look at that. Look at what he can do. He's a fire bender. See that flame? You should hate him. You should curse him. That flame has caused you so much pain in your life. Look at it. Hate him. Hate him just like you hate all the others like him.

But she couldn't fully do that. It wasn't Zuko that had caused her the pain in her life- it had been others. The lock fell to the ground and Zuko picked it up, putting it in a pocket in his clothes. He glanced at her. "Can't leave evidence," he muttered, opening the door.

Kaori stared at him as he approached her. She was completely defenseless and he was a fire bender- why didn't she feel more afraid? Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that there was still Teken in him, that it was Teken helping her, too.

"It's okay," Zuko said softly, reaching out to her. He began untying her wrists and Kaori closed her eyes. She hadn't flinched when he had touched her, she hadn't felt disgusted by what those hands could create. This was so wrong, so very wrong.

He tossed the rope around her hands away, working on her ankles. Once he finished, Zuko stood up, holding out a hand for her. "Lets go," he said, and she nodded slowly.

Cautiously, Kaori reached up her hand, taking his gently. Was he really so different now? He still had the same eyes…the same stubbornness, the same quietness about him. Was he someone else now that she knew he was a prince?

He pulled her up and Kaori lost her balance, stumbling into him a bit. She froze, staying completely still- Zuko didn't move an inch either but she felt him tense up. He was so close to her, yet she wasn't afraid of him. She didn't want to run away from him like she should. He was helping her, she had seen how badly he wanted to help her in his eyes. The guilt and the pain. He didn't just want to help her, he needed to. He was Teken, he had to be, this new title and name didn't matter.

Zuko slowly took her hand, grasping it in his, and looked away from her, afraid to see her expression. "Come on," he said quickly, clearing his throat. "We've got to hurry,"

"Alright," Kaori spoke softly, nodding her head once.

He pulled on her hand, leading her out into the hallway. He would not let them be heard or seen by anyone, if they were, then everything would be over. Surprisingly, getting Kaori to his room wasn't as hard as he thought it was- for it was there that he planned to hide her. A couple times, a servant would approach them, and Zuko would turn the other way, shielding Kaori from view and taking different paths until they were out of view from anyone. He rushed Kaori into his room, glancing down the hallways and then shutting the door behind him, letting out a relieved sigh.

Kaori had her arms crossed and she looked around the room. "Phase one is complete…" she muttered.

He nodded, watching her look at his things. She picked up a book that he had lying around, then placed it down with a twitch of her lips. When her eyes slid to the Fire Nation emblem he had hanging from his wall, he saw her scowl.

"Kaori," He said, coming up to where she stood. "I'm…I'm sorry that I didn't tell you. I couldn't,"

She glanced at him. "You're right. I would have hated you right away. Probably thrown you into a dungeon of my own,"

"I wasn't sure I ever wanted you to find out." Zuko said slowly. "I liked…I liked feeling normal for once. You didn't treat me like I was a prince."

Kaori turned to face him, nodding slowly, something sparking in her eyes. "No, I know what you mean…" she said quietly. "I didn't want to tell you who I was because you were treating me like I was just some girl… I liked feeling like I wasn't someone…someone who ruled an island. I liked being treated like I was just me…"

Zuko stepped closer to her, exhaling slowly. "I didn't want all this to happen," he said. "I didn't plan for it. It's why I didn't want you coming with me."

"But you would have met up with them eventually. What would you have done then?"

Zuko paused. "I…I don't know. I probably would have left you at an island, snuck away."

Kaori stared up at him, aware and yet not aware of how close he was standing. "And now you're helping me…"

He nodded. "I can't let anything happen to you. I will get you out of here,"

Her chest was almost touching his and she took a deep breath. "Zu..ko?" she said slowly, trying out the name on her tongue.

He nodded again with the slightest hint of a smile. "Kaori,"

Kaori leaned closer to him, felt his breath against her face while her own caught in her throat. "No fair," she whispered, moving closer to him, shocked at how she felt and yet she had known it all along. "You already knew my name…"

She watched him close his eyes and felt her own sliding shut, tilting her head to the side and draping her arms gently around his neck. "Zuko…" she whispered, testing the name again, and she felt him shiver from the feel of her breath against his lips.

Suddenly, the ship shook and their eyes snapped open. Kaori took two steps away from Zuko, shocked that she had allowed herself to be overcome by emotions like that. Surely it had just been a thing of the moment but no, no, she knew it wasn't. She knew that he was Teken, that this was who she knew and that nothing had changed. She hated herself for knowing that and yet there was no stopping it.

Zuko stared at her and blinked. "We've docked," he said simply. "It's time to go,"


	11. Chapter Eleven: Escape

Whew. I'm back. I've had writer's block for a couple days but now I'm sitting down to some Rise Against and I'm going to get this chapter out. My trip went well and I'm glad to be back- I'll miss my brother though! But anyway, like I haven't done in a while…here we go! Time to get this plot moving.

By the way…who's excited for the Airbender movie??

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Chapter Eleven : Escape

They ran in the shadows, Zuko gripping onto Kaori's hand tightly. Each time he thought he heard footsteps approaching, he would tighten his grip on her hand until she would wince- though he was to preoccupied to notice that. The only thing on his mind was getting Kaori off the ship. He could hear people talking in the rooms they passed, getting things together that they would need on land- bags, money, things like that. He heard people wondering what the weather was like today, how friendly the people would be and how much the shop keepers would be willing to haggle.

But Zuko did not stop. He pulled Kaori forward. It all seemed to easy, his plan, so far they hadn't ran into any problems. They maneuvered through the ship with an ease that made them comparable to ghosts.

Zuko could feel his spirits rising- this wasn't going to be so hard after all- he had been worried about nothing.

He turned a corner, entering a long hallway and quickly stepped backwards, pushing Kaori back against the wall, hiding both himself and her from view. Kaori stared at him with wide eyes but she did not speak- she knew from his expression that that would not be a wise idea. Voices and footsteps could be heard from down the hallway, coming closer.

"Everything is ready and perfect." said the voice, one that made Zuko's mouth lift up in a snarl. "I've been waiting for this day for so long…"

Kaori's own hands were clenched at her side, her eyes blaring as they listened to Zhao and what sounded like several guards approaching from down the hallway.

"Do not underestimate her though. She may look like a weak girl, but she is quite powerful," Zhao was saying, and Zuko noticed Kaori smirk a bit smugly. He took a slow deep breath, body tensed and ready in case they had to run.

Yet Zhao's voice slowly drifted out of ear, the danger with it passing. They had not been heard or noticed and Zuko was grateful for that.

"We've got five minutes before he notices you're missing," Zuko whispered, "Then there'll be trouble,"

Kaori nodded and gave him a small smile. "Then we better get going,"

Zuko stared at her for a long moment, something catching in his chest, but he quickly looked away from her and pulled on her hand, leading her again.

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Zuko grabbed the cloak that Uncle Iroh had set out beside the ship's exit and quickly settled it over Kaori, who blinked with confusion.

"What are you-" she began, but Zuko silenced her with a sharp glance.

"It's a disguise. Uncle is in his room; we're going to pretend that you're him,"

Kaori stared at Zuko and raised an eyebrow as he lifted the hood up and over her head. "Zuko…" she said slowly and softly. "There's a problem…"

Zuko looked at her quickly, knowing that time was clicking down. "What?" he snapped at her quietly. "There's no problem."

Kaori motioned to her waist, "This is me," she said, then outstretched her arms more so. "This is your uncle."

Zuko paused, contemplating this. They did have incredibly different body types and it was noticeable. He turned, scanning the area around them, and picked up a sack of flour that lay in a pile, ready to be taken down to the storage room. He helped Kaori position it under the cloak so that it wrapped around her middle. "Hold it with your arms across your chest…like…you're sick or something," he said, making the motion to show her.

Kaori nodded and hunched forward, allowing the hood to hide her face from view. Zuko frowned a little. She didn't exactly look like uncle- the form of the body still didn't quite match up, but it was close enough. If he could get her out on land fast enough, no one would notice.

With a sigh, Zuko closed his eyes and opened the door to the ship. Several guards were walking around, fixing up things on the ship, getting things ready that needed to be attended to. Zuko put a hand on Kaori's shoulder, leading her in the right direction. He kept his head forward and up, looking stern.

"Prince Zuko," a sudden voice spoke up, and Zuko looked to his right to see a guard staring at him. "You were not permitted to leave the ship…by order of General Zhao,"

Zuko glared at the guard. "My uncle is sick. You truly believe that even General Zhao will not allow me to escort my uncle to get medicine?"

To add to the story, Kaori gave a deep cough. The guard winced a little, hesitating. "It..is is the order of General Zhao…"

Zuko turned on the guard, eyes blaring and little flames bursting from his hands. "My uncle needs medicine and I will escort him to get some!"

The guard blinked and took a step backwards, nodding. "Yes, yes of course, Prince Zuko," he muttered quickly. Zuko stared at the man and then turned on his heel, putting a hand on Kaori's shoulder again, pushing her forward.

Together they walked off the ship and Zuko could feel his body relaxing with each step. It was done. They had done it. As they headed into the village, Zuko saw Kaori's hood slip and she flashed him a wide smile. It was done- finished, perfect. She was standing next to him alive and well and perfect and beautiful…he felt his lips tug up into a small smile. They made their way through the village, making their way through the trees to where Zuko knew boats were waiting. Boats that would take Kaori away from all this horror.

Once they arrived, tired from all the walking, Zuko stepped up to an old and wrinkled man. He purchased a boat easily- the man giving him cautious stares, rather nervous ones at points when he realized that the clothes Zuko wore were Fire Nation. Zuko returned to Kaori, motioning with a nod of his head to the boat he had purchased for her.

"You'll be able to find your way back…right? To your island?" he asked, realizing that the map they had before was gone. If she couldn't find her way back, then there was a whole new set of problems.

Kaori shrugged her shoulders a bit. "Some people say that if you're looking for the island, you'll never find it. It just sort of…calls to you. It will find you," She looked at him and smiled. "So I'll find it, there's no doubt in my mind,"

Zuko smiled a tad at her and nodded, accepting this insane idea. She looked so confidant that he did not question her.

She frowned though, glancing away at the water. "Zuko…" Her voice was slow and quiet, something flickering in her eyes. "You should…you should come with me,"

Zuko paused and blinked, his chest clenching again like it had before. "I can't,"

Kaori looked at him, her expression torn. "You should though. You can start over new, you can stay with me. You're a prince, Zuko, and I'm…I'm a princess, and if you come back then…you can stay with me. I can send Tonu away and tell the council that-" she stopped, her face red with a blush.

Zuko swallowed hard. "Tell them what?" he asked, watching as she glanced downwards.

She looked up at him after a moment from under long lashes. "Tell them that you're going to be with me. That I found someone and I don't need Tonu,"

His chest was aching- this feeling, he knew that she was the cause of it. As much as it hurt, it felt good- he felt vulnerable and open and had feelings that he had never felt for anyone before. He wanted to tell her all that, that maybe for the first time in his life, he had found someone, too. That there had been something on his mind other than just capturing the Avatar. That he wanted more in life than just his honor back.

But his honor…he had been at sea for years.

"I…can't…" he finally said, looking away from her- looking at her made the pain in his chest worse.

"But…but…" Kaori stammered, trying to get him to look at her. "Why not?"

"I..I have to restore my honor,"

"By capturing the avatar?"

He looked at her for a moment. "You know that?"

She nodded. "A woman on the ship told me that you were banished from your home. The only way you can return is by capturing the avatar." She reached up, touching his scar gently. "This has a part to play in the story, I'm sure…"

He pushed her hand away softly, frowning. "Yes. My father. I would not fight him. He showed me that the decision not to was wrong." The memories passed through his mind, filling his eyes with a remorse and a bitterness. "My honor was striped and I was sent away."

Kaori put her hand back against his cheek, turning his face to hers. "Come have a home with me then, I can give you one,"

He wanted to say yes; no, he wanted to say no. But…he wanted to say yes, he wanted to go with her, he wanted her to make him into the person that he envisioned by her side. He wanted to forget about the anger and the violence of this war and of his own nation, of his own father. He wanted her to be the first thing he saw in the morning and the last thing at night. He wanted to laugh and not feel surprised stares on him. He wanted to smile and have a reason for it, a beautiful reason.

Zuko took her hand and held it where it was for a moment as Kaori stared at him with wide and hopeful eyes. He slowly pulled her hand away, touching her fingertips to his lips softly. These hands, such gentle hands, smooth skin, warm.

"I…I can't," Zuko whispered, dropping her hand and walking away.

He would never forget them.

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"WHERE IS SHE, WHERE IS SHE YOU USELESS EXCUSE FOR ROYALTY!"

Zuko looked up, raising an eyebrow at an angry approaching Zhao. Zhao looked more than furious- he looked murderous. He pushed people out of his way as he came over to Zuko who stood at a shop stand, holding up an apple.

"What's the matter, Zhao, lost something?" Zuko asked, giving the man a hard stare.

Zhao pointed a meaty finger at Zuko. "The girl, dammit, tell me where she is, I know you have something to do with it!"

Zuko frowned. "You've lost the air bender. I'm surprised, I thought you were keener than that."

"WHERE IS SHE?" Zhao roared, taking a step closer to Zuko, his eyes burning.

Zuko shook his head. "I haven't even seen her since you put her in a cell. I'm just here with Uncle, he's seeing the doctor. He's not feeling well,"

Zhao shook his head, his hair coming loose from it's proper grip. He looked wild, frenzied, crazed, and people stared at him as they passed like he was so. "Like hell… You expect me to believe that? LIKE HELL!"

"What is all this commotion?"

Zuko turned to smile at Uncle Iroh as he came through the door of the building across the street.

"I can hear your yelling from inside. It's very disrupting," he tutted, shaking his head.

Zhao stared at Uncle Iroh, then looked quickly between him and Zuko. "But you- that can't be-"

"My nephew was kind enough to escort me to the doctor's, I'm afraid I'm not feeling very well. The doctor says I've had a bad cup of tea and it is messing with my system," Uncle Iroh gave a little chuckle and Zuko raised his eyes, crossing his arms against his chest.

Uncle Iroh suddenly looked at Zhao as if noticing his anger. "Something the matter, General?"

Zhao straightened up, his lips curled back in fury and he shook his head. "No…it appears that nothing is wrong…" His gold eyes shot to Zuko's. "But I swear…if I find out that you had anything to do with this…it will be your end,"

He turned on his heel, pushing a man out of his way and strode off. Zuko glanced at Uncle Iroh, who's playful expression had turned serious.

"She is off then?" Uncle Iroh asked Zuko, without ever looking away from Zhao's direction.

Zuko nodded. "Yes. She's gone,"

The words were hard to get out, but he managed. They made his chest constrict even harder. He looked down at Uncle Iroh, whose gaze had turned to stare at his nephew.

"Zuko-" he began, but Zuko shook his head.

"Leave it alone, Uncle," he said quietly, walking back towards the ship.

Uncle Iroh stared after his nephew and let out a small sigh. Oh to be young again, he thought…filled with the wonder and confusion of first time love…of the drama and the hardships that came with it… Oh to be young again…

And most of all, stupid.


	12. Chapter Twelve: A Little Pain

And I'm back! Really getting into the swing of things- I'll continue updating more for this next week and then there might be a slight pause for a week- I have finals :P And then I'm done my first year of college!! Woot!! I survived! After that, we'll really get into the story- I believe the old one on my old account had….70 chapters? Now, these were short chapters, but eugh :P Don't read it yet lol, trust me, it's not as good as the one now. What I'm really focusing on right now is making things….more realistic? Things aren't just happening- they're flowing into each other- like how Kaori couldn't just put on the cloak and look like Uncle, no, they had to realize that she didn't have his width, lol.

Anyway, comment my lovely readers : ) Because I absolutely love getting your comments- each and every one of them : )

And hehe! You will have to keep reading to find out what happens! Onward though!!!

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Chapter Twelve : A Little Pain

Kaori stared up at the sky, watching the clouds slowly pass by. She was drifting, laying in the bottom of the boat, letting the ocean pull her along. Her stomach was tight with a dull ache; sure, she had managed to haggle some supplies from the man, but it hadn't nearly been enough. He had given her a bag of food- some fruits and some bread, and a jug of water. The bread was gone, nothing but crumbs now, and there were about two pieces of fruit left. As for water, only a third remained. She had been drifting for two days now, staring up at the sky.

She watched lazily as a cloud passed by, one that looked like a tree. She didn't know where she was going, she didn't know where her island was. The ocean was in complete control as far as she cared.

Kaori reached up her hand slowly, tracing the outline of the tree-cloud with her finger. She wanted to see a tree…just like how she wanted to see Teken- no, that wasn't his name, she reminded herself. Zuko. It was Zuko. She knew that.

He had walked away from her, turned his back and left her standing there, hand reaching out towards him, mouth parted slightly in protest. Yet she hadn't been able to move; she had thought for sure that he would say yes. That he would come with her.

Kaori frowned a little. It had been foolish to think like that- he was prince of the Fire Nation; why would he want to come live on a quaint little island? She lived a simple life, even if she was royalty.

With a little sigh, Kaori closed her eyes. She was just so tired. The water pulled on the boat, pushing it forward to who knows where. She didn't care.

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Zuko gripped the railing hard, staring out at the water surrounding him. They had shipped back out to sea the day after he had left Kaori by the boats. It was good; they were getting farther away from where ever she was.

He stared at the water- it seemed to be the one thing always around him; water. He had grown used to the feel of a swaying boat beneath his feet, and yet… He had been on land for weeks with Kaori and that had seemed… It had been alright.

His chest clenched and he closed his eyes. Her expression when he had walked away… It was like he had torn out her hope and thrown it on the ground, which he supposed he had done. She had said she had found someone…and that someone had been him. For the first time, someone had chosen him.. The last time he remembered someone caring about him was before his mother left. Someone who loved him…other than Uncle, but that was a different type of love, and so had his mother's. Kaori…not that she loved him, though the idea sent a strange sensation, like butterflies, through his stomach and he quickly pushed the thought away. But her idea…the fact that she said she had found someone…she had wanted him to say yes…to come with her. And then what?

The images flashed through his eyes. They would live on the island together peacefully. They would watch the sun rise and set, he would hold her in his arms, feel how warm she was against him. He would grow old with her, see every smile and hear every laugh. She would remain her crazy self, showing him places in the island no one else knew about, hanging glass on the ceiling just to see it sparkle…

An air bender… He opened his eyes, staring at the water in front of him. She was air, he was fire…it seemed…crazy…and yet, he knew, deep down that something about her would hold her in his mind. Perhaps it was her air- fire fed on air, it could grow with it.

"Prince Zuko,"

Zuko did not turn around, simply stared out at the world. "Uncle," he said simply. From the corner of his eye, he saw his uncle come to stand beside him.

They were silent for a moment, and then Uncle Iroh spoke. "The elements are strange, nephew, each one with their own characteristics. Most people know people of their own element, they do not know how they will be affected by the others,"

He paused, glancing at his nephew and then continued. "Earth is hard and strong, yet mixed with water, it can be molded and softened. Set with fire, earth does nothing, it is not affected by it. Air…" he paused, noticing that Zuko's gold eyes had slid over to him. "Air," Uncle Iroh continued. "is light yet powerful. Fire is dangerous and violent. To much fire and a person can become consumed by it, but it needs air to live. Water will put fire out and earth is not effected by it, but air…"

"What about air?" Zuko said quietly, muttering his words.

Uncle Iroh smiled. "Fire cannot live without air… To much air and it will be extinguished, yet with just the right amount of air, it can grow and thrive and burn brighter than it ever has… Without air, fire will slowly diminish, becoming nothing at all," He shrugged his shoulders with a little chuckle. "Just a thought, nephew."

Zuko looked at his uncle hard. "Are you saying I should have gone with her?"

Uncle Iroh shrugged again, looking out at the water. "I am saying, Prince Zuko, that if you give fire a small taste of air, it will want to grow. It will always wonder."

Zuko turned away from the railing, making as if to go back into the ship but he turned around sharply, frowning. "It doesn't matter, she's gone now. Safe. And I have to return home. I have to capture the avatar, that's what I've been trying to do for years."

Uncle Iroh frowned the slightest. "Prince Zuko," he said, his voice stern yet fatherly. "There is more than one kind of honor. It is for you to decide which one you want to have in your life,"

Zuko turned away from his uncle, full of frustration, and strode into the ship. He clenched his hands into fists, his knuckles white. Throwing open the door to his room, he stepped in, slamming the door behind him. With a frustrated groan, he pounded his fist against the metal wall, leaning forward to rest his forehead against the cold metal, closing his eyes. There was no easy fix for this. For years he had tried to return home, for years he had dreamed of seeing his father smile at him and tell him how proud he was.

But who was he kidding? Would that really happen? Could he even catch the avatar? Was it really all that important? The questions rang in his ears, hurting his chest. This was all to much to think about, all to complicated. Zuko wanted so many things and yet he couldn't choose. Kaori…he wanted to see her again, just see her, talk with her maybe, hold her if she'd let him… He felt so normal around her, like he wasn't Prince of the Fire Nation but he was just…Zuko.

And yet, his honor… The thing he held above all else.

But what if what Uncle had said was right? What if there was more than one kind of honor? Honor in capturing the avatar…but what if there was honor in choosing a different life?

Exhausted all of a sudden, Zuko laid down in bed, turning onto his side. He stared at the Fire Nation emblem for a moment then turned away from it, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

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"Oh my god, there's no possible way!"

"No, no, it's her, it's really her!"

"Get out of the way, I'll take her!"

"Someone get water!"

"I'll get blankets!"

"Look at her, her lips are so dry!"

"The poor dear, probably hasn't eaten in days!"

"Is she breathing? Has anyone checked to see if she's breathing?"

Kaori heard the voices but she couldn't put names to any of them. They all mashed up together, rolling around in her ears as some sort of buzz. She could hardly feel her own body, she felt dried up. The only thing she felt were warm hands slipping underneath her, lifting her from the hard cradle of the boat. Her eyes opened slightly, seeing a blur of faces before closing again.

She felt water at her lips and she drank it down greedily, choking on it when she was done, almost coughing all of it back up, but she managed to force it to stay down. She felt hands on her, changing her clothes, putting wet clothes to her forehead, carrying her places, feeding her, giving her water- so much help from so many people.

She opened her eyes again at one point, staring at a face until it finally became clear. Aliruko…it was Aliruko. The small girl's pudgey face stared back at her with a wide smile; she was saying something but Kaori couldn't make it out.

She simply raised out a hand to her friend, smiled a little, then closed her eyes once more, letting the assisting hands take over for her once more.

Aliruko…all these people… She was home. Her island. Her home had found her again, just like she knew it would. It had not left her.

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Sorry for the short chapter! I didn't want to write everything at once, lol. More to come soon : ) Uncle Iroh was sort of explaining why this pairing could work out, by the way. I hope you liked it :D


	13. Chapter Thirteen: End of Part One

Woot! Last week of college! One more final and some papers due!! Can you believe it? I'm so close to being done with my first year : ) Then there will be so much more time to write, so expect more, a lot more, when this week is over. : ) I hope you're all enjoying it though!!! :D

Onward we go!

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Chapter Thirteen

Zuko sat on a rock in the middle of the woods. His eyes scanned around, taking in every color of green and brown, all the different shades. The wind blew softly through his hair- hair that covered his entire head in a thick mess. He reached up and ran his hand through it- this was something new for him, and he wasn't sure when he did it…

The sun glittered down from between the trees and he could hear the wind brush through the leaves in the trees. It was peaceful; he liked that, just taking a moment to pause and breathe.

In front of him, he saw someone approaching. There was no sense though, that this person meant him any harm; in fact, he knew they didn't, because as they came closer, he saw that it was a young girl, perhaps around the age of six.

She was smiling at him, dressed in a pale orange dress. Her skin was slightly tan, not as tan as Kaori's, he noted, and her black hair curled at her chin. She stopped in front of him, a few feet away, and blinked, regarding him carefully with her gold eyes.

After a long moment of silence, Zuko finally spoke. "Hi," he said simply, and the girl smiled widely.

"Hello!" she exclaimed, and then she laughed. "You're not very smart! I thought you would be,"

Zuko blinked and frowned. "I am smart," he said, shaking his head, and the little girl shrugged her shoulders.

"How can you be? Look where you are,"

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, he was sitting in the middle of the deck of his ship, staring at the girl, but the ocean was all around them, the sun setting behind the girl.

"My ship…" Zuko said softly, frowning a little. He looked at the girl. "There's nothing wrong with this,"

The little girl groaned exasperatedly. "You don't geeeeet it," she whined, throwing her arms in the air. "This is so cold!" She stamped her little foot against the metal of the ship to show what she was referring to. "How can you want to be so cold?"

Zuko frowned, looking away from her. "I'll be fine,"

He felt a hand underneath his chin as his face was turned to look into the little girl's. She smiled at him and tilted her head to the side.

"But you don't have to be. You don't have to be so cold. All that warmth, it's yours too." she said, putting a hand on his cheek.

Zuko stared up at her, his eyes pained. "But…how do you know?"

The little girl laughed, letting her hand fall from his cheek and she turned slightly, staring at someone who had appeared on the other side of the ship against the railing. The person's hair blew in the wind and Zuko saw them extend a hand for the little girl.

"I just know," the little girl whispered, smiling brightly. Quickly, she kissed Zuko on the cheek, right against his scar, and then turned, running to the person against the railing. Zuko watched as the little girl jumped into the woman's arms, as she was spun around, laughing. He watched the woman smile widely and laugh as well, her eyes bright and her brown hair catching in the wind. He watched as she held the little girl close to her, hugging her.

And then she turned to Zuko, the girl in her arms turning to look at him as well, and she smiled. Zuko stared in wonder before his breath caught in his throat.

Kaori.

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Zuko sat up in bed quickly, his chest pounding. His eyes frantically skimmed around the room, taking in everything familiar to him- his books, his walls. He pulled a knee up to his chest, resting his elbow on it, and held his head in his hand. It had been a dream…only a dream and yet it had felt so real. He had felt so connected to that little girl, like he knew her.

And then Kaori… If Kaori was there…and that little girl… The black hair, the soft color of skin and the gold eyes- eyes that looked exactly like his…

He swallowed hard, closing his eyes. He could see her so clearly, that little girl. Deep down, he knew exactly who she was.

She was his; she was Kaori's- she was theirs. A child. Their child. He had never once in his life thought about having children. He was to young to think about it and all his life he had been obsessed with becoming stronger. Capturing the avatar. Making his father proud. There was no time to think about love and children; that future… It wasn't in the plans. He had known that all of that would be taken care for him when he got to the proper age. His father would choose a bride for him; someone who would benefit their nation, and then they would produce an heir. It was the life he had known.

This little girl was not something he knew about. Nor was the love that had radiated from Kaori's eyes when she had looked at him.

Something was gnawing at him in his chest. He didn't like this feeling and yet he couldn't get the image of the little girl out of his head. She had his eyes, his hair, she was his- he had helped to make her. He wanted to know her, to protect her, and it was a strange and overwhelming feeling; one he had never felt before. She didn't even exist and yet he felt that he knew her and had a connection to her.

He opened his eyes, determined to get the image of her out of his mind and yet, there she was, still in the midst of his thoughts. With a sigh, he laid down, putting an arm across his eyes. A father. He had never thought about being a father- he knew he had to have an heir, sure, but that was different. Did he even want to be a father? His own had been…well, more like an authority all the time; someone to impress and check in with. Now, his mother, she had been a good woman. She had been like what he had sometimes wished his father had been like. Kaori could be that woman; she would make a great mother.

But would he make a great father? He turned onto his side, contemplating the fact. He didn't know the first thing about children, nor what to do with them or how to act around them. They were completely foreign to him and yet… that look in the little girl's eyes had said that she didn't care.

He stared at the wall, thoughtful, until he drifted off into sleep again.

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"You're leaving,"

Zuko turned around quickly, the hood of his cloak falling around his shoulders. The sky was dark, the only light provided from the bright of the moon above him. Uncle stood before him, hands folded against his belly and a small smile against his lips. Zuko stood beside one of the small metal boats that his ship provided. He hadn't meant to wake anyone; he had wanted to slip out quietly but it seemed like this wasn't a skill of his.

"Uncle…" he said softly, not sure of what he could say.

Uncle Iroh held up a hand, smiling at his nephew. "It is alright, nephew, I did not come here to stop you,"

Zuko blinked. "You…you didn't?"

"Of course not!" Uncle Iroh said, with a small laugh. "Who am I to stand in the way of true love?"

Zuko looked down at the boat and then back at his uncle. "I'm not…in love."

Uncle Iroh raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you stealing one of your own boats to leave and return to an island where a particular girl waits?"

Zuko hesitated a moment, trying to find the words. "Because…I want to find out what I'm feeling. What my dreams mean."

Uncle Iroh was silent for a moment and then stepped forward, engulfing his nephew in a hug. "I," he said slowly, still holding onto Zuko. "Have never been more proud of you. A man truly has honor when he does what his heart tells him to do, and not his country,"

Zuko hugged his uncle back, though not as tightly, and nodded. "Thank you, Uncle, for everything,"

Uncle Iroh stepped back, laughing softly again. "Oh, I'm sure that we will see each other again nephew. I will come visit sometimes,"

Zuko frowned a little. "But how will you find the island?" He didn't even know how to find the island, he realized.

Uncle Iroh shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that I will. So I'm not going to question it," He paused. "That would be foolish," he added quickly.

Zuko smiled a little and nodded, stepping onto his boat. "Then I'll see you soon, Uncle." he said, walking to the control panel. He reached underneath it and shot a flame into the engine, setting coal on fire and bringing the boat to life with a small hum.

Uncle Iroh watched the boat begin to leave and he waved. "Try not to get into any more trouble!" He called, just loud enough for Zuko to hear. Zuko chuckled a little and turned to the steering controls on the boat. Kaori had said to just go and the island could be found- that it found a person rather than the other way around. He didn't know if it was true, but there were to many things pressing on his mind. Things that he couldn't stop thinking of no matter how hard he tried. He had to give it a chance. He had to try. He would go crazy if he didn't.

He watched as his ship became smaller and smaller and then he closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Then, without pause, he took a blade from his pocket and brought it to the back of his head. Swiftly, he cut off his pony tail and threw it into the water. He didn't look back after that.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kaori stood out on the beach, her gaze unemotional. It had taken some time for her to recover, but after a week, the council had approached her, and now there was no more running. It was a reality, a sick and twisted horrible reality. Her parents, had they been alive, would have been furious. Yet, they weren't here and there was no other way.

The long white dress she wore blew in the breeze at her bare feet which were buried in the sand. Her usually wild hair had been set up on the top of her head, decorated with white beads and flowers. She was a bride, just not the blushing kind- the resentful and bitter kind suited her more.

She stared at the ocean, wanting to jump right into it and let it carry her away. This was supposed to be her life, not any one else's and yet here she was, giving away the control to someone else.

With a sob, she fell to her knees, not caring if sand got on her dress. She pressed her hands to her eyes, letting the tears burn down her cheeks. Why did things have to be this way? Why was life so unfair? Her shoulders shook with her sobs, strands of her hair coming undone and falling against her face.

"Kaori?"

Her head snapped up, eyes wide, and she was sure she looked insane. At that moment, however, she just didn't care. She knew that voice. Her head turned to the left slowly and she blinked, getting to her feet even slower. She couldn't breath; if she did then this mirage would go away.

"Kaori," the figure said again, and Kaori stumbled towards it, tears still falling from her eyes. She reached out a hand, touching the figure's face and the figure closed their eyes, not saying another word.

"You're…you're not real," Kaori muttered, a tear falling down her face, catching on her lips.

The figure smiled just a little and shook his head. Kaori ran her hands across the thin buzz of hair that he had and her eyes were filled with confusion and all sorts of emotions.

"How did you…how did you get here?" she asked, her eyes going back to his.

He pointed down the beach. "About a mile down is my ship. I've been walking ever since I landed."

Kaori was still for a moment, staring at him, and then she let out another sob, throwing her arms around his neck. "Oh Zuko," she cried, tears falling from her cheeks again.

Zuko hesitated for a moment and then wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her.

"I'm supposed to marry Tonu today and I don't want to and I can't and now you're here and I'm so happy for so many reasons because you're here and I missed you and I don't want to marry Tonu and with you here I don't have to and I just-" she stopped mid ramble, looking at him suddenly, panic in her eyes. "You…you are here…because you…you want to be with me…right?"

Zuko hesitated for a brief moment. "Do I have to take Tonu's place today?" he asked slowly, and the panic slowly drifted from her eyes.

"No," she said quickly, "No, you don't, we'll just explain everything to the council. They may be able to betroth me, but if I find royalty on my own, they can't complain, they can't, I have the overall say,"

Zuko smiled a little, relief filling him. He hadn't come here to get married right away- he was only eighteen. But he did want to see where this would lead him.

Kaori smiled widely, taking his hand. "So lets go tell them, kay?"

She started to move, but he stood still, so that she merely tugged on his hand. She turned, looking back at him with a confused expression.

Zuko hesitated for a moment and then leaned forward slowly, closing the distance between them. He pressed his lips against hers, the pressure soft and gentle. He could feel his heart racing- this was it. This was his decision and there was no turning back from it. The Prince of the Fire Nation would no longer exist; he would vanish from the world and no one would ever find him. The girl against him, that was his future. That was what he wanted to follow.

Against his lips, he could feel her smiling, and as they took off towards the village, her hand in his, he could feel any fear he had falling away with each footstep.

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The room was filled with only the light from candles that were hanging from the wall. It was a bare room, filled with only a small and thin wooden table, a Fire Nation emblem on the wall, and other than that, nothing. Metal, cold walls surrounded them, five people. Three of these people were dressed in armor, their faces covered and their hands clenched into fists in case they had to do anything.

The fourth person in the room was a young woman who sat in front of the table. She looked down at her hands which were clasped in her lap. Her eyes were troubled, her face already stained with tears.

The fifth person was pacing back and forth slowly, stroking the facial hair he had. His beady gold eyes looked at the woman and he smiled at her.

"So…you say you saw him down there?"

The woman nodded, still not looking up. "Yes," she whispered. "He told me not to tell anyone I saw him. But for the duration of her stay, I had been bringing her water…feeding her…"

The man scowled at her. "Why would you do that?"

With a shudder, the woman answered. "I just…I don't like to see suffering when I can help ease at least a little pain…"

"And yet," the man smiled. "You are here…telling me all that you know,"

The woman swallowed hard. "You said there was money involved if anyone knew anything,"

Leaning down, the man hooked a finger beneath her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Yes, there is, and your information is very useful to me. So continue,"

The woman nodded, staring up at him with fright. He was like a monster, she thought. Exactly like one. "I would listen in on what he would say to her. Things about getting her out of there. I think…I think they felt something for each other. He would not let her die."

The man nodded, stroking his facial hair again. "Interesting." He turned, heading for the door. "You've done well." He stopped next to a guard. "Pay her…" he said softly, so only the guard could hear. "But not with money,"

The guard nodded and motioned to the other two, and they walked towards the girl.

"Hey, what are you- what's going on, hey!"

The man walked out of the room and shut the door before he heard a high pitched scream and the sound of flames filling the room. With a smirk, he walked down the hall.

So, the Prince had helped her escape, there was no doubt in his mind that he had. The filthy air bender was alive and the prince who hadn't been seen in days was out there in the world, probably with the air bender. No one got away from him though; no one embarrassed him that way. No one could escape from his grasp- he would finish off the air bender just like he had meant to years ago. And the prince. Abandonment of one's country was a crime. He would have to suffer the consequences.

Zhao turned a corner, smirking wider.

They thought it was over.

But this was just the beginning.

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END OF PART ONE!!! (Parts for me are like…sections in a book. So you had a bunch of chapters now, and then you get more chapters coming soon- all in this thread, don't worry about looking for another story : ) )

Summary of Part two:

As years pass on the island, Zuko realizes that the choice he made was the right one. As he watches the life of his island, things in life change for the better- with surprises and love all wrapped together in the greatest of packages. But yet someone can not leave them alone; someone filled with resentment and anger. As Zhao gains power, Zuko's life on the island becomes threatened. New faces show up on the island and a love is tested as the life Zuko dreamed of is slowly torn apart.


	14. Part Two: Chapter One

Yay! First chapter of part two!! Come on guys, review more : ( I must know what you think of this!

So, let me begin part two… : ) Now, I do have to warn you. Part two is when things get very violent. Very disturbing almost. A bit more risqué. I mean, it's not like I'm going to give you a lemon, but definitely violence and stuff. So just…be prepared for some pretty intense stuff. There's been no wedding yet by the way lol.

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The wind blew through his hair, hair that was now thick and long enough to cover the tips of his ears. It was shaggy and wild, much like Kaori's, although nothing could be as wild as her hair. But after two years, the thought of running his hands through that soft hair could still make him smile.

And what a two years it had been. From the very start, the people had been cautious, not quite believing the story they heard. Some of the council members had been furious- claiming that Zuko was going to run away after a month, tired of the life that an island had to offer. Others held up a hand, saying that they should wait and see what happened- if he left, then they could certainly bring Tonu back into the picture.

And yet, two years had gone by and he still remained. He had learned what each building on the island was- from the market places to the big building, which he soon figured out was the palace, that he had first stayed in. The people were comfortable seeing him around as who he truly was- the Prince of the Fire Nation. Aliruko, especially, seemed to accept him now whole heartedly, eager to assist him if he ever needed something.

He had his own room now in the palace, close to the room that he had originally stayed in. It had been nice to see- Kaori had come into the room and frowned, then returned with shells that she had put on the table next to the bed. Then she had come in with some ink and drawn symbols and paintings on one of the walls. Figures of people dancing, trees blowing in the wind, and of course, the symbol of air, which she had drawn next to the fire symbol. When he saw that, she had simply laughed and winked at him, dabbing him with ink on his nose.

It had taken a week to get that ink out of his skin, to her immense joy.

Zuko had taken to notice everything that he had missed during his two weeks on the island. He noticed how the people regarded Kaori, that she was indeed royalty to them. At some points, she could be completely serious, sitting in a council meeting and offering her words with a wisdom beyond her years- although then she would spot him and flash him a face, sticking out her tongue and crossing her eyes.

During the two years, the village had grown by a striking two hundred people, leaving them with five hundred people total. The war had driven off many people, left many people homeless, and Misfit Island welcomed all of them.

And yet, in all of this, Zuko kept waiting for it. He kept waiting for the moment when he would look around and wonder what he was doing here; waiting for the moment he would want to return to his quest to capture the avatar. He kept waiting and waiting and yet it never came. Each morning he would wake up and look out his window to see Kaori in the garden, practicing her air bending. He would watch her move, smoothly and strongly, her movements flowing into one another and her hair whipping around her. Seeing her would drive away any desire to leave. He couldn't.

At the moment, he stood on a balcony that connected to a large feasting hall in the palace. He stared out at the night sky, feeling the wind against his face. He could hear the festivities inside the hall; everyone was celebrating, after all, their princess was twenty today.

"Zuko!"

He turned around, a small smile on his lips, as he watched Kaori dance to him, one arm behind her back. She wrapped her free arm around his neck and pressed her lips against his, managing to stop his breath like she always could. He closed his eyes, applying pressure against her own lips.

It had taken so long, but he could return her affection. It was hard at some points, but after allowing himself to slowly open up to her, it had become easier. He had been so afraid to feel anything for her, but she had always remained there for him. Sometimes they wouldn't speak, just stare out at the ocean. And other times, they would talk. She would tell him about her parents, how her mother had had a freckle on her cheek and how she could hear her father laugh when he was not even inside the palace.

And he would tell her softly about his mother and how one night she came into his room, spoke to him, and then he never saw her again. He told her that he still thought that memory was a dream…that he couldn't believe it.

And when he spoke of his scar and the memories around it, she would cup his face in her hands and kiss his scar, trace it's lines until he believed that she didn't see it anymore.

After two years, he knew that what he had wanted to find out, what the feeling was that had been building up inside his chest, was something he had been without for the longest time. This feeling; this indescribable love that she had introduced him to. And he did, he did love her. He wasn't quite the romantic type; he couldn't confess his undying love for her, but he did tell her after a year and a half had gone by. She had her head against his shoulder and he had whispered it to her, and to his surprise- although he shouldn't have been- she had told him she felt the same.

And now, now he watched this beautiful girl pull her lips from his and smile at him widely, her eyes bright. "I was looking for you!" she said with a laugh.

Zuko shrugged slightly. "I…I don't think I'll ever quite get used to these big events," he admitted, nodding towards the commotion inside.

Kaori nodded, grinning, and removed her arm from behind her back, revealing a bottle she had been holding. "Then you can celebrate with me here. It's not every day I turn twenty!"

Zuko raised an eyebrow at the bottle. "Where did you get that?" he asked, smiling at bit at her.

Kaori looked at him innocently. "I'm a princess, Zuko, don't question me."

With a laugh, she took his hand, pulling him back inside and down a hallway, leaving the music and dancing behind them.

XxXxXxXxX

Kaori pushed the empty bottle on the floor, watching it roll away from her with a laugh. "I don't know where it all went!" she hiccupped, running a hand through her hair. Zuko watched her, sitting on the end of her bed, and grinned a little. He hadn't felt like this in a while- it was a really weird feeling, since he had never drank so much before. Sure, on the ship he had had a few swigs now and then with Uncle or by himself, but never this much. It made things rather fuzzy and yet, he felt very comfortable. Lazy almost, relaxed.

"I mean, one moment, it's there, and the next- poof!- gone!" Kaori was exclaiming, motioning to the bottle like it was a ghost that had appeared before her.

She swung around, pointing to Zuko. "You!" she yelled with a laugh. "It's because of you that all the yummy drink is gone…" She approached him, jabbing her finger in his chest before straddling his lap. "I blame you,"

Zuko chuckled, looking at her with his eyebrows raised. He felt like he weighed a thousand pounds; heavy and fuzzy and spinning, he wasn't even sure what was going on at the moment.

"I really think you had a part in it too," he stated, his hands against her lower back.

Kaori shook her head, the motion amplified by the alcohol she had consumed. It sent butterflies to her head and her stomach. "I don't believe you…" she drawled out, laughing. "I would ne-ver do something like that!"

"I don't even know what you're talking about," Zuko said with a grin, shaking his head slowly at her.

Kaori stared at him, gasping dramatically. "Well! Here, let me show you!"

She leaned forward, pushing her lips against his and he could taste the alcohol on her lips, the sweet berry taste of it. She smiled against his lips, muttering "Recognize that?" He nodded, but did not answer, simply closed his eyes and pulled her closer to him. Kaori made a little sound, parting her lips against his and kissed him deeper.

In a swift movement, Zuko rolled over so that her back was against the bed and he was overtop of her, his lips nipping at her jaw line. He didn't even stop to think of how surprised he was at his actions- he was never this forward with her. Sure, they had exchanged kisses and what not, but he certainly wasn't the most forward guy when it came to intimacies.

Kaori let out a soft little moan, tilting her head back, her eyes closed. Zuko bit over her collar bone, kissing over where he bit gently and he stared down at her, his heart racing. She held onto the back of his neck tightly and his hands slid down her body to grasp the bow in the front of her outfit that held her dress together. Holding onto it, he pulled it slightly, then froze, the slightest bit of reality pushing through the daze that the alcohol had brought on.

"Kaori, wait, maybe we should-" he began, but she leaned up, meeting his lips with hers and kissed him hard. He made a muffled sound of protest then felt her tongue press against his and all thoughts of reality vanished from his mind as his hands pulled the bow on her dress off completely.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The morning light hit her face and Kaori groaned, a hand coming up to her head. She groaned and turned over onto her back, opening her eyes and then immediately closing them- the light hurt to much and her head…her head was pounding. How much had she had to drink last night? To much, that was for sure. It had been a terrible idea, although the celebrations for her birthday had been fun.

Rubbing her eyes, she noticed movement beside her, and from the corner of her eyes, she watched Zuko sit up on his elbows, grabbing his head in one palm. He groaned painfully, rubbing his temple and looked at her through squinted eyes.

"Kaori…" he murmured and Kaori stared at him. Then she closed her eyes again and chuckled, putting a hand over her eyes.

"Oh god…" she laughed softly, looking at him. "Oh Zuko, look what we've done now,"

Zuko stared at her and put a hand against her cheek slowly, his eyes serious. "What?" Kaori asked him, raising an eyebrow. "Why do you look like that?"

"Are you…are you okay?" he asked quietly, his gold eyes making her smile.

With a smile, she snuggled close to him, nodding. Kissing his cheek, she chuckled. "I'm fine, Zuko, and…I know this wasn't the greatest idea, but it's fine, too." She looked up at him. "Are you okay?"

He nodded slowly. "I'm fine," he said simply.

Kaori rolled over onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. "I mean, it wasn't planned or the whole…fantasy first time thing, but…" She looked at him with a wide smile. "But I love you. And if I'm going to mess up with anybody then it's going to be with you. I'm not upset."

He stared at her and nodded slowly. How many times had he dreamed of holding her in his arms all night? Of kissing over that smooth skin of hers? Of being with her in the most intimate way and showing her how much he truly did love her? He had dreamed of it, of being with her, holding her…loving her.

She put a hand over his and held it, smiling still. "I'm not ashamed, Zuko. I love you. I want to be with you in every single way,"

Zuko nodded, staring at her, trying to keep any emotion out of his eyes before glancing at the window instead of at her.

Kaori sat up a little, taking his face in her hands and bringing his eyes to meet hers. "Zuko? I love you, this…this wasn't a bad thing…cause you love me too…" He nodded, glancing away and she cupped his face in her hands, looking worried. "Zuko…why do you look like that…please…talk to me…"

After a small moment of silence he looked at her, regret in his eyes, almost a sadness. "I wanted to hold you…I wanted…to show you that I could love you this way…" His eyes looked towards the window again. "I wish…I could remember it.."

A small smile slid over Kaori's lips, relieved that this was what was bothering him. "Zuko…" she whispered, kissing his cheek. "Let me help you remember…" Putting her hands on his shoulders, she pulled him to her, covering his lips with her own.

XxXxXxXxXx

I know this chapter doesn't quite seem as important- but it shows how their relationship has progressed and how his years on the island have. You'll see.


	15. Chapter Two

Thanks for the comments about my finals : D They all seemed to go really well- and I definitely got a lot of money back for my books- thank goodness! Now there's a lot more time to write and you guys are going to love what happens- well, you won't but….oh just wait and see!

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Kaori stood on her balcony, a white bathrobe draped around her, her expression lazy. She stared out at the village, gazing over the rooftops and the trees around them, the ocean in the background. This was her home, this was what she knew. So why did it feel like something was going to happen? Like something bad was approaching them? Lately, she hadn't been able to get Zhao out of her mind- sure, they had escaped from the ship back then, but had they escaped from Zhao? Would he let them be?

"There you are," she heard from behind her, as familiar hands slipped around her waist. She could feel Zuko smiling as he pressed his lips against her neck. "I was wondering where you had gone off too,"

Zuko, she loved him. He had grown so much since showing up on the island. He smiled more, laughed more too. He talked to the people around the village- by now it seemed like he had known all of them his entire life, he fit in so naturally. He held her more without any hesitation ever since…well, their mistake weeks ago that had turned out to be wonderful. It was as if he suddenly was positive that she loved him; as if he had doubted her before, and she scoffed at that idea. He should never doubt her.

"I'm right here," Kaori muttered, watching a bird land on a rooftop in the distance.

"I can see that," Zuko said with a little chuckle, kissing up her neck slowly.

Kaori frowned a little, waving a hand and shrugging out of his grip, turning and heading back into the room. "Not now, Zuko, she murmured.

Zuko turned slowly, looking at Kaori with a slice of hurt in his eyes. "Kaori…?" He asked. "What's…what's wrong?"

She paused, putting a hand against the doorway and glanced back at him. "Nothing…I'm just…I'm just not in the mood,"

Zuko frowned, stepping forward and placing a hand on her shoulder. "But it's more than that. Something's bothering you,"

"I'm fine, Zuko," Kaori said sharply, raising her shoulder quickly, getting rid of his hand.

She stepped into the room, shedding her bathrobe and tossing it onto her bed. Zuko leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms over her chest. From a drawer, she pulled out a green, flowing skirt, slipping into it easily.

"I know you, you aren't fine," Zuko said simply, and she glared at him as she buttoned up a white shirt.

"I am," Kaori snapped, putting up half of her hair, running her fingers across her beads.

Zuko's arms fell from his chest, his eyes confused and hurt and he stepped forward towards her. "Kaori, please-"

"Zuko! Leave me alone!" Kaori yelled, turning on him, her hair blowing behind her from the force of the air she pushed in her anger, surprising Zuko so much that he took a step backwards. Kaori stared at him for a moment, her breathing hard, before she turned and strode out of the room, her hands clenched into fists.

Zuko stared at the door she slammed on her way out, his eyes wide. What was going on with her?

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Kaori walked along the beach, fuming on the inside. What was going on with her? First she had been thinking about Zhao, about the sense of doom she knew was coming and it had depressed her. It had been such a powerful feeling, one that she hadn't been able to push away. And then, as fast as a shooting star, she had been filled with fury, she hadn't even known why. There had been nothing that would normally upset her and yet she had been so angry… Angry at Zuko…

The thought of his eyes made her sad again, and her shoulders slumped. She had yelled at him and he hadn't done a thing; if anything, he had wanted to know what was bothering her.

Running a hand against her forehead, Kaori sighed. She had been so awful to him and he was probably just as confused as she was.

Kaori stopped, looking up. She would go apologize. A smile spread over her lips. She would hug him and tell him she was so sorry, then maybe they could take a walk together. He would understand, he would, she knew it. Turning around quickly, Kaori smiled widely, ready to talk to Zuko, when she froze, pain spreading through her body.

With a scream, she fell against the sand, arms wrapping around her waist.

XxXxXxXxXx

"So, you have to tell me, what was it like?"

Zuko resisted the urge to roll his eyes for the hundredth time. Ever since he had let it be known that he was the now ex-Prince of the Fire Nation, Aliruko had stuck to his side, begging to help him out any way she could.

"I've already told you, it was just…I don't know!" Zuko exclaimed, and Aliruko nodded eagerly.

"But the colors, and the people, what were they like in the city? Did they use their fire bending every day?"

"Aliruko," Zuko said, coming to a stop. He had been walking through the village looking for Kaori when Aliruko had caught up with him. "I really don't remember. It's not something I like to remember,"

Aliruko frowned. "But how can you not want to? I'm sure it was a glorious sight to behold! Surely you don't not want to see it again…"

Zuko looked at her hard. "No, no I don't."

"But that makes no sense!" Aliruko exclaimed, throwing up her arms. "A city like that would be beautiful!"

Zuko opened his mouth to ask her why she cared so much when he heard a scream. His head jerked in the direction that the scream came from and a chill ran over him. "Kaori," he whispered, taking off towards the scream.

Panic filled every fiber of his being as he ran, followed by Aliruko, moving quickly. A few other villagers had heard the scream and followed as well, concern in their eyes.

When he turned onto the beach, Zuko's breath caught in his throat. "Kaori!" he exclaimed, and she looked up weakly from where she lay. He ran towards her, sliding a bit as he fell to his knees at her side.

"Zuko," Kaori said softly. She yelped a little, clutching her stomach.

"Someone get a doctor!" Zuko exclaimed, looking through the villagers that had shown up. "Get the doctor now!"

XxXxXxXxXxX

It felt like hours to him, when in reality, it took only about twenty minutes. The doctor, a small man with eyes to big for his face, clucked his tongue and nodded, muttering to himself now and then. Kaori lay in bed, her eyes going from the doctor to Zuko more times than he could count. Zuko held onto her hand, his mouth in a tight, thin line.

Finally, the doctor sat back, a smile against his lips. "Well, Princess, there is nothing to worry about,"

Kaori looked at him, raising her eyebrows. "But…but that doesn't make any sense,"

The doctor chuckled a little. "It makes perfect sense,"

Zuko frowned, standing up and glaring at the little man. "No it does not. Did you not see the pain that she was in?"

The doctor looked up at Zuko calmly, still smiling, then his eyes slid to Kaori's. "Princess, I assure you that everything is alright. You are…with child,"

The entire room seemed to freeze. Kaori's eyes went to her stomach, looking bewildered and Zuko's eyes were wide, his mouth parted slightly.

"But…but…" Kaori stammered.

"It appears that everything is still alright," the doctor continued. "So there is nothing to worry about. However, you will want to take it easy from now on…just until the baby is born,"

There was a long moment of silence and the daughter coughed uncomfortably. "I'll…um, leave you two then to privately share this blessing,"

Zuko didn't even see the doctor leave, he just knew that he was gone. A child. A child. There was no way, there couldn't be, he didn't know what to think. Flashes of his dream made their way before his eyes- the girl with the golden eyes, the black hair. Was she real? Was she growing right now?

"Zuko…" Kaori whispered, and he turned slightly to look at her. "I'm sorry about before," A tear slipped from her eye as he took her hand gently. "I didn't mean to yell at you…I'm just…I couldn't control myself… And I kept thinking about…about Zhao…and something bad is going to happen Zuko, I just know it, something bad is going to happen-"

Zuko pressed a finger to her lips, sitting on the side of her bed, keeping her hand in his. "Kaori, nothing bad is going to happen. Zhao will never find us, I won't let him get you,"

Kaori nodded, tightening her grip on his hand. "Zuko…" she whispered again, "Now…now this baby….what will we…."

He leaned forward, kissing her gently. "I love you," he said gently. "I will take care of you and this baby." The words came so easily and yet he was filled with fear. He couldn't be a father, he couldn't. He didn't know what a father was. But she needed these words, it was obvious from the way her eyes calmed.

Kaori nodded and closed her eyes as he slid onto the bed next to her, pulling her to him.

"It'll be alright," he whispered into her hair, although he wasn't sure if he was speaking more to her or to himself.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Aliruko sat in her room, all the windows covered. She stared at the wall, her arms crossed over her chest as she frowned. How could Zuko not want to go back to his nation? To that city of beauty and purity. How could he not want to see the wonders of that world… In fact, he hardly ever used his fire bending anymore…he just practiced in the mornings now and then to keep himself in shape; sometimes by himself or sometimes even with Kaori.

Aliruko clenched her fists. If she was a fire bender, then she would use her fire bending every moment of the day. She would treasure it's beauty. If she had come from the capital, she would take in every aspect of it and never take it for granted. She'd walk around the capital every moment. If she had known the Fire Lord….she would have spent her life bowing down to him.

There was a knock on the door and Aliruko stood up, swinging it open. A thin, young man stood before her, a lock of brown hair in his eyes. He smiled at her with a charming smile and held out an envelope to her. Aliruko took it slowly, nodding at the young man before closing the door.

She leaned back against it, holding the envelope to her chest.

"And so it begins," she whispered to herself, using her thumb to flick the envelope open.


	16. Chapter Three

So soon, so soon! I'm so excited to FINALLY be getting to my favorite parts. So lets go go go!

XxXxXxXxX

"I don't understand what you're saying," Zuko said, his eyes confused. He sat on the rock again, staring at the little girl, trees surrounding them. She looked so sad, her head down and her hair messy. Strands of hair lay over her gold eyes. He knew that this was a dream, and yet, Kaori was pregnant…and this girl…he knew that she was his.

The little girl looked up at Zuko, her gold eyes brimming with tears. "You won't see me anymore, it's so sad, but you won't and I'm going to miss you,"

Zuko stood up, going over to her and getting down on his knees. "But why? Why won't I see you anymore? What's going to happen?"

The little girl choked on a sob. "Bad things, very bad things. And we won't see each other,"

"But I'm right here," Zuko assured her. "I'm not going anywhere,"

Tears ran down the little girl's face and she shook her head wildly, her hair flying. "But I will! Don't you understand how much I'm going to miss you?"

Zuko took her shoulder's gently. "But what's going to happen? You have to tell me!"

Suddenly the little girl gasped, covering her face with her hands. "So bad, so bad," she muttered, slowly dropping her hands. When she looked at Zuko, he fell backwards, gasping. Half of her face was covered in a scar, her eye completely burned shut.

"Don't let me go away," the little girl whispered, reaching a hand out towards him. "I will miss you…"

Zuko let out another gasp and sat straight up in bed. A dream, just like he had known it had been. He looked beside him, checking to make sure Kaori was still there, and of course she was. She was laying on her side, her belly in her arms. It had been five months and her stomach had swollen up, like she had eaten a melon whole.

Zuko lay back down, wrapping an arm around her and placing it on her stomach. He was going to marry her once she had the child, he had promised her that. It hadn't been the greatest proposal, he simply wasn't good at things like that, but it had been honest and true. He would stick to it; he wouldn't leave her and the golden eyed little girl he knew would be born.

And yet…his dream was bothering him. The little girl…she had been one of the reasons he had come back to the island and now she was saying she wasn't going to be there? But that was impossible; he could feel her kicking at his hand through Kaori's stomach. She was alive and healthy, the doctor told them, in perfect condition. So why would she tell him she wasn't going to be there? And the scar…it all made no sense.

Shuddering slightly, Zuko curled up closer to Kaori, closing his eyes. Their baby- it still sent a strange flutter through his chest when he thought that- would be alright. In fact, she would be perfect.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The roundness of her belly still astounded Kaori and she ran her hands over it, smiling. She was eight months along now and she looked like she would burst at any moment. Hanging on her arm was a basket filled with fresh fruit that she had just bought from the market. Sure, it was simple enough to get someone to buy food for her, and then cook it, but most of the time Kaori did that herself. This was an island- there wasn't a lot to do. Even the simplest tasks gave her joy.

"Lovely Princess," a woman cooed as Kaori passed by her, offering a kind smile. "The child inside you is a healthy one! I can tell from your glow!"

Kaori laughed, smiling happily and patted her belly tenderly. "Thank you so much," she said, offering the woman a wave which was happily returned.

"Hey! Kaori!" She glanced up, seeing Aliruko running towards her.

"Aliruko!" Kaori exclaimed, her smile still just as wide. Aliruko had been so supportive through the whole thing- she was at Kaori's side the instant her name was spoken.

Aliruko stopped in front of Kaori, bending over a little, her breathing hard. "Geez, you're a hard woman to find…" she breathed, then stood up straight, stretching out her arms. "I wanted you to meet somebody, Kaori,"

Kaori raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Aliruko nodded, excitement in her eyes. She turned around, motioning someone to them. "Kaori, this is my cousin, Char,"

A young man approached them, skinny and tan. A lock of brown hair was thrown over his green eyes and he smiled lazily at them both. He was attractive, Kaori had to admit that, she did have eyes after all.

Kaori glanced at Aliruko though, taking her friend's shoulder and whispered. "Aliruko…I don't mean to be harsh…but didn't you tell me that your family was dead…"

Aliruko laughed loudly and shook her head. "No! Not entirely! My cousin is still alive, if he wasn't then he wouldn't be standing here!" She laughed again and Kaori chuckled a little, still rather confused.

"I…suppose that's true," Kaori finally said, then turned to Char. "Pleased to meet you then," She held out her hand in a friendly manner.

The boy smiled at her, taking her hand and shaking it- he had a strong grip. "It is a pleasure, Princess,"

Kaori shook her head with a chuckle. "Any friend of Aliruko's can call me Kaori,"

Char smiled widely, his eyes dazzling. "Kaori then. And I can see that you, Miss Kaori, are…well," He made a motion to her stomach and Kaori laughed along with Aliruko.

"Yeah, I'm pregnant," she said, rubbing her belly.

Aliruko giggled and tickled the top of Kaori's stomach. "She's got a little one growing in there…." She looked up and glared at Kaori in a joking manner. "Could have waited a couple years though- I'm much to young to be an aunt!"

Kaori rolled her eyes and looked back at Char. "How long are you here for?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure. However long it takes to get caught up with my darling of a cousin here,"

Aliruko jabbed him in the side with her elbow. "Oh stop…you're to much," she laughed and Kaori grinned.

"Well, I've got to get these," she lifted the basket of fruit up a bit, "back to the palace. But I know I'll see you around later Aliruko, and it was nice meeting you Char!"

She turned and began to walk away, glancing over her shoulder and waving at the two. Char and Aliruko watched her walk away, their expressions serious.

Aliruko glanced over at Char, who still stared off towards Kaori. "…'Darling' cousin…? Little thick, don't you think?"

Char looked at her for a moment then turned on his heel, stalking off towards the direction they came from, saying nothing at all.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The waves lapped at the beach, soothing and calm, brushing up against Kaori's toes. It felt so good to relax and just sit, even if the whole getting up part was still hard to do. Her hands were buried in the sand, keeping her upright and she sighed, closing her eyes. That was the nice thing about living on an island- it was so peaceful.

All her worries seemed to fade away. Any worries about the war, the outside world, even Zhao, melted away… After all, there was no reason to worry about Zhao. He couldn't find her here, no one knew how to get to the island- and she was positive that the island wouldn't let him find her. So with no way of knowing how to get to the island, she knew that she was safe. She, Zuko, and their baby that grew inside of her.

She could hear footsteps approaching her and she smiled, keeping her eyes closed. "Zuko…" she said softly. "I was wondering when you would show up…"

"Sorry to disappoint you," a voice said, and Kaori's eyes snapped open, her head jerking to the right. "But I'm not the prince,"

Kaori blinked as Char walked over to her, hands in his pockets. "Oh, Char, I'm sorry, I just thought…"

He chuckled a little. "No offense taken." He motioned to the ground. "May I?"

Kaori smiled and nodded. "Course," She watched him sit down next to her. "So, how do you like the island?"

Char nodded, staring out at the water. "I think it's great; a little to quiet for me though,"

With a giggle, Kaori nodded. "That's for sure, but I like it that way. I wouldn't want some crazy city,"

Char glanced over at her. "Have you ever been to some 'crazy city'?" He asked.

Kaori paused, looking thoughtful. "No…I haven't…"

"Then how do you know?" Char asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kaori smiled and rolled her eyes at him. "Because…I just know." She put a hand on her stomach. "Besides, I want to raise my child here, not in the city,"

Char stared at her stomach and swallowed hard, his eyes suddenly going to Kaori's. "Can I…I mean..can I…"

Kaori laughed once and nodded, "Sure, everybody does, you're just the first one to ask,"

Char nodded, seeming entranced, and put a hand on Kaori's stomach. His eyes widened as he felt a kick press against his hand. "Do you…do you think the child will be strong?"

Raising an amused eyebrow, Kaori shrugged a little. "I'm not sure. Whatever this child is, I'm going to accept it for whoever it decides to be. Strong, gentle, it doesn't matter."

"But strong for sure…" Char whispered.

Kaori laughed a bit, unsure of what to say, and then glanced up, spotting someone else coming towards them. A smile broke out on her lips. "Zuko," she said.

Zuko walked towards them, though there was not a smile on his lips.

"It was lovely talking to you Char," Kaori said with a laugh. "But I've got to be heading back now,"

She held out her arm and Zuko took it, helping to lift her up. With a wave, Kaori walked away with an arm linked in Zuko's.

"Kaori, who was that?" Zuko asked, still frowning.

"Just Aliruko's cousin, Char," Kaori responded, looking at Zuko curiously. "Why do you look like that?"

Zuko shook his head a little. "I don't like the looks of him."

Kaori laughed and lifted his hand to her lips, kissing it. "You worry to much, Zuko, he's just Aliruko's cousin,"

Zuko glanced back at the young man who sat on the beach staring out at the water intensely, "I don't trust him, Kaori, he's something bad,"

Kaori said nothing, just kissed his hand again and continued walking. Zuko couldn't shake the feeling though, it felt like the one in his dream.

Something bad was going to happen. He just wish he knew what.


	17. Chapter Four

Ah summer… I've been so lazy- cooking up a storm though. Ever seen that whole Food Revolution show? Gah! I'm so inspired by it! I cook all my food now- love it! Anyway- here comes another chapter : ) I can't wait to dive deeper into the plot… My favorite part is coming up soon…

XxXxXxXxXxX

"My aunt told me she spotted the avatar flying over her village on a bison,"

Kaori leaned forward, her eyes wide and filled with wonder. "A bison? That's incredible… I've heard stories about flying bison's but to see one… Your aunt was so lucky, Char,"

Char smiled and laughed, shrugging his shoulders. They sat at in the palace in the parlor room, both in their own large couch. The room was formal, and yet relaxed at the same time, meant for holding celebrations and keeping guests comfortable during a wait. Kaori sometimes just used it to chat with people and catch up, or in this case, chat with Char who had stopped by with a baby outfit from Aliruko.

"I'm not so sure how lucky she was, I mean, the avatar was gone for one hundred years and now he's back? I want to know why," Char said, grinning a bit at Kaori's shocked expression.

"Char!" she exclaimed. "It doesn't matter if he disappeared or when he returned- the important thing is that the avatar is back!"

"But will he stay?" Char pointed out, and Kaori frowned, thinking that over.

"Yes," she said with a nod, "I'm sure he will,"

Char smiled at Kaori, his eyes warm and soft. "You are always filled with so much hope, Kaori. It is no wonder that the people here all adore you," His eyes glanced at her stomach. "Your child will adore you as well, of course, there is no doubt about that,"

Kaori smiled down at her stomach and patted it lovingly. "I hope so. It's a scary thing, but I think I'm ready."

"Think?" Char said, raising an eyebrow. Kaori laughed.

"Alright, I guess I have to be ready, don't I?" She paused for a moment, watching a servant walk through the room and exit through another door. She looked back at Char, a smile on her lips. "Stay for dinner, Char?"

He hesitated and Kaori held up a hand, interrupting anything he was about to say. "I insist, please, you're Aliruko's cousin, so of course you are invited,"

Char bit the corner of his lip and then sighed, smiling. "Well, alright, if you insist,"

Kaori clapped her hands together happily, "Oh good! Trust me, there's always plenty to go around-" she stopped, staring past Char's shoulder and smiled, getting to her feet as easily as she could, "Zuko, I'm so glad you're here, I just invited Char to join us for dinner,"

Zuko walked forward, his eyes on Char, who was standing slowly, his lips in a thin line.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Kaori," Zuko said softly, taking Kaori's arm but not looking away from Char.

Kaori frowned, glancing between the two of them. "Why not?"

Zuko tugged gently on Kaori's arm. "Come talk outside," he urged her.

Kaori shook her head, shaking out of his grip and folding her arms across her chest- although her stomach was so big that her arms laid on top of her belly. "No, Zuko, we won't go talk about this quietly. You're being unreasonable."

Zuko ground his teeth together, watching as Char smirked a bit. "I am not being unreasonable. I simply think that…it's not the best idea…"

"And why not, prince?" Char sneered slightly, narrowing his eyes at Zuko.

There was bitterness in his voice, a subtle harshness and hate that surprised Zuko. It was clear that he got a bad vibe from Char, but what could Char have against him?

Zuko looked at Kaori helplessly. "Kaori, please, can we talk outside?"

Kaori took a deep breath, her eyes burning. "Zuko, no, Char is joining us for dinner, so…so get over it!"

"I will not!" Zuko exclaimed. "And he will not join us!"

"You're being stubborn!" Kaori yelled. "This is Aliruko's cousin and all you're doing is being rude!"

"She's right, I've been nothing but friendly!" Char said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Too friendly," Zuko growled.

Char took a step towards Zuko, his hands clenching. "What are you implying, prince?" he asked, his voice cold.

"Both of you, stop it right now!" Kaori yelled. "I've had it with this Zuko, you will treat Aliruko's cousin with respect-" She stopped, her eyes wide and frozen.

The sudden pause in her anger was noticeable enough for both of the young men to glance over at her. At the sight of her expression, Zuko was at her side, holding onto her arm.

"Kaori?" he said softly. "What's wrong?"

Slowly her face crumpled and her arms went around her stomach, her shoulders bending over slightly. "Ow…ow…it hurts," she whispered. "I think…I think," She stopped, letting out a moan and curling towards her stomach.

Zuko glanced over at Char. "You'll have to take a rain check," he snapped quickly, taking Kaori's arms and leading her out of the room.

"I'm…I'm sorry Char…" Kaori gasped, walking with Zuko, knowing that another contraction would hit her body soon.

"I'll get Aliruko!" Char exclaimed, watching the two of them disappear. He stood there for a moment, pausing, his expression going blank, then he turned around, putting his hands in his pockets and walking away calmly.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Aliruko ran the cloth over her dishes slowly, watching the water drip down the plates and cups. Her entire life now was something out of a story- an exciting story. She was shaking practically at just the thought. On a table in the corner were a stack of letters, all opened and read through thousands of times. Slowly, Aliruko put down the rag and went over to the table, picking up the most recent letter. She reread it, taking her time with each word. She traced over the letters, knowing who had written them and it sent shivers down her spine. Finally she was doing something with her life. She knew exactly what to do and what it would gain.

Sure, sometimes it hurt a little, but when she thought about the bigger picture…about what she was doing for her country, then it was worth all the little bits of pain. And the reward in the end would be so great.

There was a knock on the door and Aliruko looked up, putting down the letter.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"It's Char. Open up."

Aliruko opened the door quickly, standing aside so that Char could enter. He strode into the room, once again making his presence fill up the area.

"It's happening," he said bluntly, turning to look at Aliruko. "I just came from the palace. She's in labor,"

Aliruko gasped audibly and looked around frantically. "So soon?" she exclaimed, her heart racing. "So soon, so soon, so we have to act so soon?"

Char reached out, grabbing Aliruko's shoulder so hard that she winced slightly. "Calm down." he stated, glaring at her until she nodded at him. He released her slowly. "Stay focused. You know what to do."

Aliruko nodded again quickly. "Yes, yes I know."

Char stared at her and put a hand against her cheek. "Aliruko…you are doing this great nation honor…you truly are," She stared up at him in adoration and he smiled at her, taking a step back and motioning to the door. "After you?"

With a wide smile, Aliruko nodded, heading out the door.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

It took fourteen hours for the baby to be born. Fourteen hours of the most intense pain that Kaori had ever felt in her life. At one point, she swore that she was simply going to rip in two- there was no baby inside of her, it was a clawing monster that was trying to escape. She screamed and held onto a paler-than-usual Zuko's hand, leaving nail marks and bruises on it. Zuko looked uncharacteristically frantic the whole time- she was in so much pain and he didn't know what to do. The most he could do was wipe the sweat from her forehead and hold onto her hand. He felt so helpless but the doctor assured him that everything would be alright.

However, after fourteen hours, it was over. The doctor held up the little baby who was crying loudly and smiled, pronouncing the child a girl. It was in that moment that time stood still for both Zuko and Kaori- perhaps for the whole island. For Kaori, she stared at the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in the world. For Zuko, when that child finally paused and opened it's eyes to look at it's parents, he stared into the golden eyes he had seen in his dreams. Once the little girl looked up at her parents, she paused, her crying stopped.

"Hi there," Kaori whispered, and the baby made a squeaking sound. The doctor cleaned up the little girl then wrapped her up in a blanket, passing her over to Kaori's arms. Kaori brushed the girl's cheek gently, a smile on her lips. She looked up at Zuko, who was smiling down at the miracle in Kaori's arms.

"She's beautiful," Zuko said softly, kissing the top of Kaori's head.

"She's perfect," Kaori whispered, staring down at her baby girl.

Zuko looked at Kaori. "What are we going to call her?" he asked curiously. Names were something they had talked about briefly before, nothing in depth.

Kaori was silent for a moment, looking at the child thoughtfully. "O..at..ki," she said slowly, then smiled. "Otaki," She glanced up at Zuko for approval and he nodded, smiling back at her.

"I like it," he said.

Kaori cuddled the baby closer to her. She glanced up at Zuko. "Zuko…will you…will you go get Aliruko? I want her to meet her niece…I don't know why she's not here,"

Zuko hesitated. Something told him to stay near Kaori, to not be separated from her, but the look in her eyes made him relent. Aliruko was her best friend after all, this was something that Kaori would want to share with her.

"Alright," he said softly, kissing Kaori's forehead softly and then Otaki's, "I'll be back quickly,"

Kaori smiled at him, watching him leave, and held the baby closer to her.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Zuko walked quickly through the palace, making his way towards the direction of the town. Aliruko…where would she be? The marketplace? Her home? The beach? He cursed the fact that the girl hadn't shown up; hadn't Char said he would go get her? Of course, he didn't trust a thing that man said, so he wasn't surprised that Aliruko hadn't shown up, he supposed.

Zuko walked for a little bit more, then paused at the top of a hill that overlooked the town. Where could she be? Where would he start? All he wanted right now was to get back to Kaori and Otaki, his daughter. He hadn't even had the chance to hold her yet.

He squinted his eyes, scanning through all the people he saw. There! His heart picked up for a moment and he ran through the village, heading towards where he had seen Aliruko.

"Aliruko!" he called out. "Aliruko wait!"

She paused ahead of him, blinking and turning around to stare at him. "Zuko? You look…..really tired,"

He took a deep breath. "Kaori wants you, she's had the baby,"

Aliruko looked visibly upset. "And no one came to get me! Zuko I'm offended!"

"I know," Zuko said quickly, "I'm sorry, but you can come see her now, she's waiting for you,"

Something flickered in Aliruko's eyes- a bit of hurt, and she glanced at the ground. "She…she is..?"

Zuko nodded, wishing that the girl would hurry up. "Yes, she wants you to meet your niece,"

Zuko watched in confusion as a tear ran down Aliruko's cheek and she shook her head. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "I'm just…I'm so happy for her…" She looked up at Zuko. "I'll be there soon. I just want to go grab the gifts I made for her; they're at my house." She paused for a moment. "Will you come with me to get them? It will only take a moment,"

Zuko hesitated, glancing back towards the palace, and sighed. "Alright, but we have to hurry," he said finally and Aliruko nodded.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kaori glanced up, "Zuko?" she said, and then shook her head, seeing that it was not Zuko at the door, which made sense because he had only been gone for a minute so far. "Char," Kaori smiled, the baby in her arms. "I'm so glad you're here," She paused for a moment. "Where's Aliruko?"

Char shrugged, shrugging off a brown bag he had over his shoulders and placing it on the table next to the bed that Kaori laid in. "Probably off getting your gifts that she made for you," he chuckled, "So I came first to wish you congratulations,"

Kaori smiled and nodded. "Thank you…she's beautiful, isn't she?"

Char nodded, staring at the child. "Very. What's her name?"

"Otaki," Kaori replied, loving how the name felt on her lips.

Char moved closer to her, getting a better look at the child. "Kaori," he said slowly, holding out his hands. "May… May I?"

Kaori hesitated for a moment; this was her baby, she didn't quite want to share her with anyone, but this was Char and not letting him hold Otaki would be rude. Grudgingly, she held out Otaki. "For a moment," she said with a smile.

Char nodded, cradling the baby in his arms. "She's going to be very strong," he stated, staring down into the girl's gold eyes.

Kaori nodded, watching Char hold her child. Something felt off though, about the way he was staring at her child, but Kaori couldn't put her finger on it. She just wanted Otaki back in her arms.

"You know…" Kaori said slowly. "Zuko just went to get Aliruko…he's going to be back soon…I don't want to start anything, Char, so maybe you better wait a while and let him cool off-"

"Kaori," Char said, cutting her off. His eyes looked straight into hers, yet Kaori had never seen him look so serious. "You look so weak,"

"That's what giving birth can do to a person," Kaori managed to chuckle. She was beginning to feel more and more uncomfortable. All she wanted was Otaki back. Right now.

"I bet you don't even have the strength to air bend right now…" Char muttered, looking at the baby again.

Ice went through Kaori's veins and she froze, staring at Char. "What…what did you just say?" she stammered. It wasn't possible- nobody knew.

Char moved Otaki so that he was holding her with one arm and he reached into the brown bag that he had brought. "You heard me."

"Char…" Kaori whispered, her body frozen with shock. Horror was spreading through her body slowly. "Give me my baby…"

Char sighed softly, looking tired and bored. "I'm afraid I just can't do that, Kaori," he said softly. Before Kaori could even speak a word, Char drew a rock from the bag and hit her across the head with it. Kaori folded over in bed, the world going black around her. Char sighed again, slipping the rock back in the brown bag. He lifted the bag, throwing it over his shoulder. Glancing down at the baby in his arms, he frowned. "You better be worth my trouble," he murmured to Otaki.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"And this is the bonnet that I made, see it's hand stitched and everything, and I even put in little flying bisons because I know that Kaori really likes them-"

Zuko opened the door to where Kaori lay, only half listening to Aliruko go on and on about what she had made for Kaori. Aliruko stopped talking though when they opened the door and Kaori was bent over in bed, the baby no where in sight.

"Kaori!" Zuko shouted, running into the room and lifting Kaori up. There was a gash on the side of her head, a large knot forming. "Kaori can you hear me?" He tapped her cheek softly and her eyes fluttered open weakly.

"C-Char…" she whispered, lifting an arm to point towards the door. "B-Baby…"

Fury ran through Zuko as he laid Kaori down. "Take care of her," he ordered to Aliruko before running out the door. He had known all along that something had been off about that Char. If only he had gotten there sooner…then maybe he could have stopped Char…but Aliruko had taken so long…

Zuko ran fast, stopping only to ask if people had seen Char- most of them hadn't, but a few said they had seen a glimpse of him heading towards an area of the beach that no one went to anymore. Zuko ran faster than he ever had- that man, that liar, that monster had Kaori and his child, his little girl, the girl in his dream.

Zuko got to the beach and saw what made his blood boil, perhaps literally, he didn't know. Char was standing in a boat that wasn't to far off, he could swim to it if he tried. A man, he must have been scheduled to pick Char up, was rowing the boat.

"Char!" Zuko screamed, rage in his eyes, smoke coming from his hands. He immediately ran into the water, wading into it, preparing to dive down.

Char watched Zuko, a smirk coming over his lips. He glanced down at the child who slept in a basket in the boat and picked up the brown bag with the rock in it.

Zuko froze, watching Char pick up a bag and hold it over the side of the boat.

"If you dare come any closer, traitorous prince, then you will lose what is precious to you," Char shouted, loud enough for Zuko to hear him. "Do not follow us, my grip is already loose…you wouldn't want anything to happen, would you?"

Zuko froze, completely unsure of what to do. He could attack- but Otaki…he couldn't do anything that would harm her. And if he followed, or even tried to catch the boat, then Char would drop Otaki. There was no way that he could swim fast enough to get to Otaki before she drowned.

Feeling more helpless than he ever had in his life, Zuko watched the boat become smaller and smaller. He let out a roar, tears of anger falling from his cheeks. Flames flew everywhere, catching small plants near the edge of the ocean on fire.

It was just like the child in his dream had said. She had repeated that she was going to go away.

And now she had.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The room was dark, with only three pieces of furniture in it. The first was a large chair, the second a small table, and the third was a candle set that sat upon the table. The walls were a dark red, making the room look as if it had been painted in dried blood.

Zhao sat in the chair, his eyes focusing on the door in front of him. When there was a knock, he smiled, motioning for a guard to open it.

"Welcome to my ship," Zhao said lazily, motioning for the figure to enter.

"Thank you, the trip was easy," the figure replied, smiling.

"I'm so glad…" Zhao muttered, then he leaned forward a little. "Well..?"

The figure stepped into the candle light, flipping a chunk of brown hair out of his eyes. The baby in his arms gurgled.

Zhao smirked widely. "You have done so well, Char…"

"I don't understand, sir, if you found their location…why not kill them right away…?" Char asked, frowning slightly. That was the logical thing to do, in his mind.

Zhao laughed, the sound confusing the baby. "That would be to simple. No…I want the prince to suffer. I want him to hurt. He betrayed our great nation…he cannot be punished so simply for that. He and his air bender will suffer. They will die eventually, all in due time."

Char nodded and held out the child to Zhao. Zhao took the child slowly, looking down at it.

"What will you call her?" Char asked.

"Felice," Zhao said simply. He ran his finger down the side of Otaki's face with a smile. The baby looked up at him in confusion, as if she recognized that this man was not one of her parents.

"This is just the beginning, little one," Zhao whispered, smirking widely. "I have great plans for you…"

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Pretty spiffy plan they had cooked up, eh? : ) So far, this is the LONGEST chapter lol.


	18. Chapter Five

I'm so happy to see so many people putting this story on their favorites : ) Leave a comment though now and then to let me know what you think of the story! I love hearing what you as reader's think : ) Woah! A comment just now! Are you guys like…reading my mind? And I haven't even posted this yet? I'm impressed, readers, I am impressed. Oh, and for the record, the rating I gave this story is because of the stuff that goes on with "Felice"- now I can tell you all that :D

And now, to write on!

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

When Kaori had regained some of her strength, she had ordered everyone out of the room. Once they were out, she refused to let them back in, keeping them out with a strong force of air pressed up against the door. The doctor sent worried looks towards Zuko, expressing his concern about Kaori's health- both emotionally and physically.

Zuko was worried for his own health, but, experiences from the past had taught him how to keep a straight face. It showed though, his pain, in his eyes and through the tightness in his jaw as he clenched it. He could hear Kaori from inside the room crying- no, sobbing was more like it. The servants around the room all had their heads down, tears in their own eyes. There was no sadder sound than that of a grieving mother. Especially one who hadn't gotten the chance to be a mother yet.

Suddenly there was no sound from the room and every eye turned towards Zuko. "Prince…" the doctor whispered, his eyes darting back and forth from Zuko to the door.

Zuko nodded slowly and, feeling as if his body was made of sludge, went towards the door. With a deep breath, he opened it slowly, not knowing what to expect. Had Kaori merely let her guard down? Would she hit him as soon as he came into the room? He had no idea, but he had to get in and be with her.

Kaori stood at the window, one fist against it and her head bent low. Her hair was a mess. It was normally wild, and yet, then it had always seemed tame and beautiful. Now she looked crazy, literally crazy with grief.

Zuko quietly shut the door behind him, much to the protests of the servants outside, but he shut them up with a glance.

"I…I can't open it…" Kaori whispered from where she stood, her voice so quiet that Zuko could barely make out what she had said. "I can't open it…to go get her…I need to go…go get her…"

Zuko watched as she turned around to face him slowly. Her face was flushed and tears ran freely down her cheeks. She stared at him, her shoulders slumped and her skin pale. "Zuko," she whispered, her voice cracking on his name. "He…he…"

Zuko stepped forward, catching her as she fell forward, or stepped towards him, he couldn't tell, and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "I know," he whispered into her hair as she cried into his shirt. "I know,"

"She's gone," Kaori wept, her hands grabbing onto the back of Zuko's shirt, holding him tightly. "He took her,"

Zuko closed his eyes for a moment. His pain was her pain. They had seen their beautiful baby girl for minutes before she had been taken. He remembered those golden eyes, her black hair. It had taken him months to accept the fact that he could be a father, that he wouldn't' be like his own. After he had accepted that he had been rather…excited to be a father. He had known that he would do it correctly. He had envisioned writing to Uncle Iroh and inviting him to meet Otaki and letting the old man hold her and coo over her.

"I couldn't stop him, Zuko, I couldn't, I wanted to, but it all happened so fast-" Kaori rambled, and Zuko shook his head, shushing her.

"It wasn't your fault," he said softly.

"But I…I should have…I'm an air bender.."

"Who had just given birth," Zuko responded, pulling her away from him a little so that he could look into her tear filled eyes. "No one blames you, Kaori…" He paused, putting a hand on her cheek. Just looking into the pain that swam in her eyes brought tears to his own- tears, he was shocked, and yet he wasn't surprised. The pain he felt was something he had never experienced.

"I don't blame you," he whispered, knowing that she needed to hear that. And it was the truth, no one had expected Kaori to be able to fight off a kidnapper directly after having a baby. She was strong, but not that strong. Perhaps no one was.

Kaori reached up a hand, her lip trembling, and touched one of the tears that had managed to escape from Zuko's eyes. She burst into tears again, sobbing against him and Zuko held onto her tightly, this time letting himself shed tears for his daughter silently.

It took two days to get Kaori to eat again. After a week, she left her bed. Most of the time, she just wanted to lay down and stare out the window or sit in a chair at the balcony, staring out at the village. Sometimes, Zuko encouraged her to get out and get some fresh air. Other times, he simply would lay next to her, holding her and saying nothing. It was a healing process, they both knew, that would take time.

But the wound had been made, a wound that had left no visible scar, but a scar none the less.

Two weeks after Otaki was taken, Kaori stood in front of the people with Zuko by her side. It was rare that the entire village was at the same place at the same time, but they were for this. Their princess had an announcement to make. With tears in her eyes, she held her head up high, announcing that no one was to ever speak of her daughter. The very name Otaki was banned. She did not want to think about her daughter, hear about her. Nothing. Zuko had tried to convince her that this wasn't the best way to go, but she would have none of it. Her daughter had been taken. They didn't know who had her or where she was.

The pain was making Kaori go insane and she needed to be sane or else she would destroy herself in grief.

Zuko kept quiet while she spoke. He had lost his daughter, and he wouldn't lose his wife too.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Come here, wittle mousey, I just want to play,"

The girl bit her lip, crawling on her hands and knees on the floor towards the mouse she had cornered. She blew a bit of her hair out of her face, but the sound was enough to frighten the mouse, which shot right at her, aiming to run between her hands and knees.

The girl shrieked, startled, and stood up, flame bursting from her fingertips in her fright. She stood there, her heart racing, until her lower lip begin to tremble.

"M-Mousey…?" She whimpered, bending down to where the mouse had been. He had been running right at her and it had surprised her and then the flame…

There was merely a black mark and a pile of ash on the floor where the mouse had been.

The girl let out a quiet cry, putting her hands over her eyes. She hadn't meant to hurt the mouse, he had just surprised her and she had reacted. Slowly, she got to her feet, taking a deep breath and wiping her tears away. For a six year old, she had amazing control over her emotions. She knew that tears weren't supposed to happen, and yet sometimes…well she couldn't help it.

She turned on her heel, heading down the long hallway. This was her home, she knew that, this building. It was a very proper looking place, fire nation symbols everywhere. Even once she had met the Fire Lord- well, she hadn't quite met him…but she had seen him from a distance. It had been a great honor, she had been told, for her eyes to have glimpsed the Fire Lord for even just a moment.

She just didn't see what the big deal had been about it. He was just a man, and to her, he had looked pretty ordinary.

The girl ran a hand through her hair. It went down to her shoulders now and for the first time in a while, she was content with it. When she was younger, she had to wear her hair short and it was always itching, but now, now she could grow it out. Which was good, she knew, because she had chopped off a chunk of her hair to cover up her left eye.

Instinctively, at the thought, she winced. It had been just last year when it had happened- why, she had no idea. She had done nothing wrong; she made sure she did nothing wrong these days, and yet it had still happened. He had put his hand against her face and burned her, forcing her to try and stay still while inwardly she screamed. The burn went all the way from her forehead to her chin, covering one of her eyes. It was ugly to look at, and every time she did, she wanted to be sick. Worse, he had just laughed once he was done, saying something about the irony.

The girl turned a corner and knocked on a set of golden doors. "Enter," she heard, and swiftly opened one of the doors, stepping inside the large, wide room.

Zhao and another man glanced up from a map that was on the desk. "Ah, Felice," Zhao said, smirking as the girl approached and then bowed slightly at the waist.

"Good morning, master," The girl, Felice, said obediently. She glanced up at Zhao, who gave her a nod- a sign of permission for her to stand straight again, which she did immediately.

Zhao took something that was leaning against the desk and walked over to Felice, holding it out to her. "Here. I want you to use this, train with it, and in a week, I want to see what your progress is,"

Felice opened the box slightly, then frowned a little, looking up at Zhao with confusion. "But…master…why do I need a sword? If I can fire bend then why do I need-"

She was cut off by Zhao, who sharply smacked her across the face, hard enough for her to stumble backwards.

"Do not ask questions," Zhao stammered, and the man who still stood at the desk chuckled. Felice nodded, forcing the tears inside again and Zhao's face softened. He lifted her head up with a meaty hand, smiling gently at the girl. "I want you to be the best," he explained. "I want you to be strong in all areas, do you understand?"

Felice smiled a little and nodded. "I understand, master, I won't let you down,"

She turned around quickly as he waved her off, exiting the room. The man glanced at Zhao and chuckled.

"Growing a fighter, I see?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

Zhao let out a snort of a laugh. "Fighter?" he scoffed, grinning sadistically. "Oh no. Felice…" he looked towards the door she had exited. "is going to be an assassin."

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Five years on the island seemed like nothing. People came and went and came again over and over. The village grew in size slightly and yet it seemed like it had always been that way. Nothing ever seemed to change, and Zuko found that he liked it that way. The darkness that had fallen over the island when Otaki had been taken was fading slowly. Even Kaori, after years of grief, was more like her normal self.

People had grieved. They had suffered. But then they had begun to move forward.

Zuko ran a hand through his hair, noting to himself that he should probably cut it a little soon. He kept it shaggy, not long, just shaggy, curling at his ears. Five years had kept him strong and strangely, the relaxing atmosphere of the island was finally rubbing off on him. Uncle Iroh had even noted that, since he had come to visit three times in the five years, enough times for him to visit without drawing suspicion to the island.

Although when they had asked him how he had found the island, he had shrugged his shoulders, saying he wanted to see his nephew, and then the next thing he knew, he was here. Zuko had called him crazy, but Kaori had accepted the answer immediately.

Zuko walked down the hallways of the palace and towards the bedroom, which he had seen Kaori wander off towards. He needed to talk to her about something, something important.

He stepped into the room, seeing Kaori sitting on the end of the bed, her head resting in her hand as she slouched over. At twenty five, Kaori didn't look a day over eighteen. Even the greatest of grief's couldn't wear on her appearance- she still looked as beautiful as she did the day he had first seen her, although Zuko knew his opinion may have been a little…biased.

"Kaori," Zuko said with a smile. "I'm glad I found you, I needed to talk to you-"

"Zuko," Kaori simply said. The tone of her voice made him stop in his tracks. He hadn't heard her sound like that in…in…well, in five years.

Immediately, he was walking over and sitting next to her, a hand on her shoulder. "Kaori? What is it?" he asked, concerned.

She looked up at him, biting her lip. "I…I…"

Zuko brushed a lone tear off her cheek and shook his head a little. "What is it, Kaori?"

Kaori leaned her head into his shoulder, avoiding his eyes. "I…I'm pregnant, Zuko,"

Zuko felt himself freeze and took a deep breath, putting a hand against her cheek, moving her so that she looked at him. "Kaori, that's good news, really-"

Kaori looked away from him. "I don't want to be. I can't be. What if…what if…"

"Nothing," Zuko said, his voice hard with reassurance. "Will happen. I promise, no, I swear to you, that I will make sure of that,"

He watched a tear run down the side of her face. "Kaori," Zuko started again. "What happened to Ota-"

"Don't say her name," Kaori whispered, cutting him off. She looked over at him. "I just don't want anything to happen, Zuko… I'm so scared that…that I'll have to feel that way all over again…that I'll never be a mother…"

Zuko wrapped his arms around her, running a hand up and down her back. "You will," he whispered. "With this baby. You'll see."

Kaori pulled away from him slightly, wiping her eyes and nodded, giving him a little smile, which was how he knew that she would be okay. This was the chance to start over, to make sure things happened the way they were supposed to.

"What did you want to talk about?" Kaori asked and Zuko looked at her, confusion in his eyes. "The thing. You said you had something you wanted to talk to me about,"

"Oh!" Zuko picked up one of Kaori's hands and kissed her fingertips. "I wanted to ask you about something," He slid off the bed, getting down and looking at her. "It's kinda overdue," he added, shrugging his shoulders as she smiled at him. "But…I want to marry you, Kaori, will you let me?"

Kaori smiled and laughed softly, nodding her head. She put her hands on his cheeks and leaned forward, kissing him gently on the lips. Pulling away only slightly, so that her lips still brushed against his, she whispered, "I'm yours,"

Zuko smiled and stood up, pulling her into his arms and kissing her deeply on the mouth as the two of them let their guards down for just a moment, living in pure joy and nothing else.


	19. Chapter Six

So, not going to lie, sometimes when I write these chapters, I have the music playing from LOST going on in my head. That really dramatic, cheesy, slow music when happy or sad things happen. I don't know why lol, but I do. But here's another chapter for you : ) Keep reading, there's still lots to happen! Oh, and if you get bored…feel free to read PART ONE of the old version and tell me what you think- I mean it though ONLY part one. If you read into part two, then you will SPOIL THINGS for yourself and that's no fun. Anyway, my old name was writernebie (I was such a newbie that I forgot the w in newbie, I know right? Lol) But like I said…JUST READ PART ONE. Don't ruin the story for yourself by reading more :P And be warned lol, I'm a better writer now than I was when I was 14.

P.S. Thanks for the reviews : )

P.S.S. This chapter is very short. It isn't meant to have any dialogue in it. Please, PLEASE, go to you tube and type in the song : LOST: Life and Death Theme. That is the song going on while this chapter plays, it won't be the same unless you listen to that song. Thanks : ) Just ignore the very end of the song. Keep replaying it until you finish reading. : )

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Kaori stared into the mirror, looking herself over. Never before in her life had she felt so right. The white dress she wore just seemed like it had been waiting for her to put it on. It clasped right below her breasts, then flowed outwards, trailing behind her slightly. Red flowers traveled up one side of the dress, blooming beautifully in pale oranges and yellows. It was the perfect mix of the calm white of air and the bursts of fire.

Behind her, Aliruko stood, smiling at her friend. Kaori smiled widely at her, reaching back a hand, which Aliruko took and grasped tightly. Kaori touched the top of her head, adjusting the flowers that were in her hair. She looked beautiful, and her stomach was only slightly pronounced- if anything, it simply looked as if she had gained a few pounds.

There was a knock on the door and a man stepped in, giving the girls a nod. Still holding onto Aliruko's hand, Kaori nodded, stepping away from the mirror and towards the door, Aliruko following. The girl's laughed with one another, Kaori's eyes shining brightly.

When they got to a set of doors, Kaori paused, turning to Aliruko. She reached forward, brushing a tear off her firend's cheek with a finger, and then engulfed her in a hug. Aliruko smiled widely and laughed, rapping on the door once and Kaori turned forward. The doors opened and every member of the village turned to look at her.

Taking a deep breath, Kaori stepped into the hall.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Felice stood on the metal boat, her five year old body shaking. She was dressed differently, not in her usual casual garb. Most of the time she walked around in red dresses and black pants, but now… Now armor plated her chest and shoulders, her elbows and knees. As the boat came closer, a guard stepped forward and slid a helmet onto her head. It was almost too big, but Felice didn't seem to notice. She stared forward, at the village they were approaching.

The boat came to a slow stop in the sand and Felice stepped out onto the land. The village was full of life and joy, she could see that. She could see women out with their children, laughing, smiling. She could see boys and girls running around, chasing bugs or balls. Men carried lumber from place to place, chatted with one another.

She stared out at a life that she had never known and for a moment, her eyes teared up. They all looked so happy; this wasn't what her life was like, but why? Why couldn't she look like them too? Her little hands curled up into fists and she closed her eyes. This was her mission. This was what her master had sent her to do. If she didn't do this, then he would be angry- and if she did do this…then…maybe he would let her have a friend. Maybe if she did this, he would be proud of her and love her and let her have a life like this.

Felice opened her golden eyes, staring at the village. She would have a life like this if she made her master proud. Taking a deep breath, she stepped towards the village.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Kaori walked down the center of the aisle, her smile so wide and her eyes shining. Everyone watched her, smiles of their own on their faces- they couldn't help it, she looked so beautiful and happy. Kaori could see Zuko at the end, that's what she walked towards, that's who the end was and she loved him. Kaori walked slowly, her dress trailing behind her.

All her life, she had been waiting for this and all her life, she hadn't known she would feel this happy. This boy- no, this man- had come into her life with no announcement and without a word of notice. She remembered seeing him on the beach, scowling at him for laying on her moon plant. She remembered the way he looked when she had turned him over, checking to see if he was still breathing before she called for help to bring him to her palace. Helpless…vulnerable…and broken. She had decided right then that she would be the one to fix him; she hadn't known why, but she had to be the one.

They had gone through so much hurt and loss together and yet in between those were cracks filled with joy and happiness; most of all love. Maybe he hadn't known it, but she had been a little broken, too.

Looking into his eyes now as he watched her approach the front, she knew that he had been the one meant to fix her.

When she got to the front, Kaori turned and looked at her people for a moment. Her friends…her very, very large family. They had always stood beside her. From the front row, she saw Uncle Iroh smiling at them, tears running down his face. She gave him a wide smile before turning to Zuko.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

There were so many screams around her, Felice could barely think. And yet, her body was moving all on it's own; she hadn't known she could move like this, that she could move without any thought. Her arms struck out, throwing flame onto buildings and she watched them fall to the ground. People ran, screaming that the devil had arrived in the form of a child.

When they ran from her, Felice struck them down, watching them fall, blood pooling around them. One man ran towards her, a scythe in his hands. His eyes were crazy and wild, determined to protect his home from the invader. Felice was small, though, and quick- she had been taught how to move by masters of the art. She flicked out her own blade from her side and rammed it into his side, coming in at an angle from his armpit, directed right towards his heart.

The man froze, blood bubbling in his mouth before he fell to the ground. She swung around quickly, grabbing another rman who came at her in the stomach with her blade. He gasped and fell, grabbing onto the open wound and screaming.

Blood soaked the clothes that showed beneath her armor and yet Felice carried on. This was her mission. Leave none alive, leave nothing standing. She hated these people for having the life she didn't have; the life that she wanted. What made them deserve it and her not?

After a moment, Felice stopped and looked around. There were people everywhere, lying in blood that soaked into the ground. The buildings burned, flames flicking up towards the sky. With stiff movements, Felice turned and headed back onto the boat that was still waiting for her.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Kaori listened to the head of the council talk about love and about life and yet she knew that what she felt was greater than his words. She looked over at Zuko, her eyes tearing up at the sight of his smile. He took her hand slowly, slipping a ring onto her finger and Kaori looked up at him, sliding a ring onto his own finger. Zuko placed a hand gently on her cheek while the village members stood up, cheering and crying, hugging one another at this happy event. Uncle Iroh even swept Aliruko into a giant hug, twirling her around.

And yet, Kaori didn't watch any of that. She looked into Zuko's golden eyes as he stroked her cheek. She would love this man forever, she knew that. The island had known that they needed each other and it had brought them together.

Leaning forward, Zuko pressed a kiss against her lips; their first kiss as husband and wife. Kaori smiled against his lips, kissing him back, which brought on only more applause. She turned to her people, Zuko doing so as well, and laughed. People got out of their seats, coming over to her and Zuko, hugging them both.

Never before on the island had there been such a joyous moment. Kaori squeezed Zuko's hand, glancing over at him as another villager hugged her. He saw her mouth that she loved him and he mouthed it back, watching her laugh.

Neither of them could possibly know that as their celebration went on, moments of laughter and love, a little girl sank to her knees in the corner of a cold, metal ship, buried her face in blood stained hands, and sobbed.


	20. Chapter Seven

More writing : ) I love that so many people are adding this story to their favorites! I'm so honored! : ) Really, it makes me so happy- so please, comment and what not : D I love to hear from you! Onward we go though!

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"It burns!"

The doctor leaned in, looking at her arm more closely while Felice squirmed. "I know it hurts, but if I don't treat the cut, you'll get an infection," He paused, raising an eyebrow and looking meaningfully at the little girl. "You don't want that, now do you?"

Feclice, scowled at the doctor, but sat still on the large and tall table, opting instead for pouting.

The doctor gave her a smile and nodded, turning to the deep cut in her upper arm again. "That's a good girl," he said, although his attention was focused primarily on the injury.

With a click of his tongue, he stepped away, reaching into a cabinet for a bundle of bandages. "It's not to bad," he said reassuringly. He searched through the cabinet again, taking out some string and a needle. "I'll just stitch it up and it'll be as good as new,"

Felice froze, her eyes wide. "Stitch…it up….?" she asked.

It was a bitter sweet moment, the doctor thought to himself. A little girl, a beautiful little eight year old girl, not afraid of training with adult men who carried swords, but terrified of needles.

"It will take but a second," he smiled at her, then turned as the door opened.

"Uncle, I've got the supplies you needed- Oh!" A young boy, perhaps a year or two older than Felice, stopped, his eyes wide. "I didn't know you had a patient in here,"

The doctor smiled and chuckled a little. "No, actually, Aiden, you've come at just the right moment." He motioned for the young boy to come forward. "Come, talk to my friend Felice here while I stitch her up,"

Interest peaked in Aiden's eyes and he put the supplies he was carrying down on a chair. He was just tall enough to see over the table and get a look at Felice's arm.

"Wow!" he exclaimed. "What a cut!"

Felice frowned at the boy, looking down at him. "Who are you?" she asked. "I've never seen you around here before, do you live here?"

For a moment, she saw a glimmer of hurt flash through the boy's eyes and the doctor coughed softly. "Aiden here," he said, "is my nephew. His parents died last week and he is in my care now,"

Felice just stared at the boy, unsure of what to say. They had died? She wasn't quite sure what that meant. Her thoughts were interrupted as the doctor pulled the needle through her arm. Wincing, Aiden let out a quiet chuckle.

"Aw, come on, it can't be that bad," he said, poking her knee.

Felice glared at him. "Says you," she murmured, and he stuck his tongue out at her, crossing his eyes. Felice bit her lip hard, trying not to laugh.

Aiden grinned widely. "Almost got you," he said, waving a finger at her. "You'll see. Give me a week and I'll have you rolling around on the floor in fits of laughter,"

Felice rolled her eyes at him. "Yeah right…"

Aiden held up his hands, "It's true! I'm very funny!" He paused, then glanced up at the doctor. "Right, Uncle?"

The doctor laughed. "Yes, Aiden, you're very funny," With a smile, he wrapped a bandage around Felice's arm and then patted it. "You're all done,"

Felice blinked, looking down at her arm. "Already? But I didn't feel a thing!" She smiled at the doctor, who then helped her down off the table.

Giving her arm a stretch, Felice started for the door. "Hey!" She turned around, startled at the sound of the boy's voice.

He was staring at her, his expression vulnerable. "There's not a lot of kids here…I haven't seen one except for you… If I see you around…do you…will you…want to play with me?" He finished quickly. "I've got lots of cool toys, I promise you can play with them all!"

Felice stared at the boy, her eyes wide. She had never…played before, not with another child. She had been by herself. She had trained. No one had ever looked at her the way this young boy was right now- like he needed her.

"I'll play with you," Felice whispered, turning around quickly and leaving the room when she felt something burning in her eyes. Tears. She was about to cry?

Stopping in the middle of the hallway, Felice stared at her hands. She didn't quite understand what it was that her hands were capable of, but she knew it wasn't good. She knew that she hurt people.

But right then and there, she decided she would never hurt Aiden. Never.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Years passed by at the metal fortress, and yet, like metal, they did not change. People came and went but their faces all blended together. Eight years had gone by, and a general had become an admiral. The walls of the metal fortress were filled with more and more important people and the admiral spent more time out at sea with his servants.

And a young girl, in the time of eight years, slowly became a woman. Her hair fell to her waist, still managing to fall over her one eye, hiding it's scar from the world. Her figure had become fuller, curves more evident in places they had never been before. To anyone who did not know her or the things that she had done, she was beautiful.

She strode into the large chamber hall with a confidence that she had not had in her younger years. Her head was held up high and this time, instead of looking at her with grins, people moved out of her way. They feared her and the stories that surrounded her.

Coming to the desk and the man who sat behind it, Felice got to her knees. "You called, master?" she said, staring down at the floor.

Zhao nodded, motioning for the men standing around him to leave. "I did. I wanted to tell you, apprentice, that my plan will soon be put into action,"

Felice looked up slowly, nodding gravely. "I understand. You wish for me to assist. I will burn what you please,"

Zhao let out a short laugh. "I'm not quite sure what part you will play in this, yet, but you will play an important role…"

Felice nodded, standing when he waved a hand for her to do so. "Do you wish me to train harder to prepare myself?" she asked, her expression stoic.

Zhao regarded her carefully. "I suppose so. As for now, go pack your things. You may train on the ship as we sail. For now, simply get ready for departure."

Felice bowed at the waist, looking at Zhao with admiration. "Of course," With that, she backed up a little and turned, heading out of the room.

As she walked, she kept her shoulders straight, but the further she got away from that room, the more her stance relaxed until finally, she simply strolled along to her room.

Suddenly, from a corner, a hand shot out, grabbing her wrist and pulling her sideways. Wise enough not to make a sound, Felice went with the pull, her eyes wide with shock; shock that did not recede even when she felt lips against her own.

But after a moment, the shock turned into a soft chuckle and she pushed the figure away gently. "Aiden…" she whispered. "You're foolish,"

Aiden smiled at her, and what a smile it was. The years had turned him from a long limbed, straw of a boy into…well, a man. He held onto her waist with strong hands and she pushed a strand of caramel colored hair from his eyes. "I'm in love," he whispered, shaking his head at her. "That's not foolish,"

Felice rolled her eyes at him. "It's the most foolish thing in the world,"

Aiden's look was serious as he spoke to her. "Not with you. Never with you,"

He leaned forward, pressing another kiss to her lips and after a moment, Felice relented, her own lips moving softly against his own. There was no doubt in his mind that this was the woman he loved- he was only eighteen and yet he knew it. She was two years younger than him but already her mind was mature. She wasn't like the girls he met in town; she was different. Sure, he heard stories about her, terrible stories that made the hairs on his arms stand up on end, but he didn't believe them. They weren't true.

"I'm in love with a fool…" Felice laughed softly against his lips. She felt Aiden smile.

"As long," he whispered. "as I am your fool,"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"You did beautifully," Zuko whispered, kissing Kaori on the forehead. She was so tired, her skin pale, and yet she smiled widely as she held her new baby close to her. The baby girl in her arms let out a soft gurgle, her eyes still closed.

"I'm not sure why," the doctor had explained earlier, "She has not opened them yet. It is not normal,"

But Kaori had looked him straight on and told him flatly, "She'll open them when she's ready,"

The doctor had said no more.

Now, the door flew open and a young boy, ten years old, bounded into the room. Aliruko followed behind him, breathing heavily.

"I tried…to stop him…" she wheezed, grabbing her side and Kaori laughed.

"It's alright, Aliruko," Zuko said, smiling at his son.

"I want to see her!" the young boy exclaimed, trying to climb onto the bed, but Zuko grabbed him quickly, setting him back down on the floor so he would not jostle Kaori.

Laughing, Kaori lifted up the baby in her arms so that her son could see. "What do you think, Heero?" she asked, her smile wide. "Isn't she perfect?"

The young boy, Heero, stared at the baby with his golden eyes for a long moment. Then he wrinkled up his nose and frowned. "She's red," he stated. "And pruny looking,"

Kaori laughed and Zuko rolled his eyes at this statement. "She's just been born, silly!" Kaori exclaimed. "She'll look more like the babies you see in town soon,"

"But her eyes aren't even open yet!" Heero pointed out.

"She'll open them in her own time," Kaori said, glancing at Zuko, who nodded in agreement.

Zuko reached down, picking up Heero, who had been struggling to see the baby. "Well, what's her name?" Heero asked, scowling down at the newborn.

Kaori glanced up at Zuko. "You choose," he said with a smile and Kaori looked at the girl thoughtfully.

"Jin…Jin-Swe," she said at last, smiling. "Do you like your name, little baby?" she cooed and Heero made a gagging noise.

"She did the same thing with you," Zuko whispered to Heero, nodding seriously.

"I'm lucky I turned out okay…" Heero muttered to Zuko, grimacing at the sight of his mother gushing over the baby.

Chuckling, Zuko reached down, taking Kaori's free hand in his. He smiled down at her as she held the newly arrived Jin in her arms. The four of them, they were a family. Nothing would ever tear them apart. Not time, not anyone.

At least, that's what they thought.


	21. Chapter Eight

Ah, I love Muse and Rise Against- two bands that pull me out of my writing funk! :D P.S. Thanks so much for adding this story to your favorites guys : ) It means a lot to me and I love that you like reading this story! I hope you guys don't mind how much I focus on Felice/Otaki- I just really find her circumstances and character really interesting… Oh! And I ended up drawing the characters lol, so when I get that up, I'll definitely get you guys the link. : )

Onward with the writing now! Spurred on by songs from the wonderful Muse and Rise Against! Huzzah!

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Felice watched as her home, the city she grew up in, slowly became smaller and smaller until it was nothing but a speck in the distance. The metal boat she was on now made her slightly uncomfortable- she had never been one for traveling on the water. Zhao and several other important individuals had laughed at her, claiming that it was merely a natural aversion to all things water- benders and the element.

Felice just knew it was the way the boat would rock sometimes- it was enough to send her stomach into quivers.

Now, servants and soldiers ran around the boat, getting things in order and making sure that they had everything for their journey. It was still a mystery to Felice as to where they were going- she simply knew that Zhao wanted to obtain someone and it was her duty to assist him in whatever way he needed. She was happy to- he was her father figure, she wanted him to be proud of her.

Feeling her throat tighten and her stomach clench, Felice turned away quickly, heading down the lower deck towards her room. She had spent enough time staring out at the sea, it would remain there and she was fine being away from it.

Turning into her bedroom, Felice fell onto her small cot. The room she had been given on the ship was small and quaint, but she wasn't displeased by it. It had everything she needed, and she did not need or ask for a lot. Simply a bed to lie on and walls to give her some quiet. There was a small chest in the corner of the room containing the clothes that she had packed for the journey.

She stared up at the ceiling, her thoughts wandering. Aiden…he was truly a fool. She was sixteen years old and yet…she loved him. She didn't have any friends- she knew generals and leaders of the great nation she lived in, but no friends. She had Aiden, he had always been there for her. And yet…as she grew older, she realized what it was exactly that she was doing.

Felice lifted her hands above her, staring at them. She could fire bend, wield a sword, and had mastered the skills of hand combat. Her hands had been stained with blood. When she was eight years old, she hadn't understood. At sixteen, she knew. Her hands had killed people, more people than she could count. If Aiden, her sweet Aiden, knew what she could do…what these hands were capable of…

She rolled over onto her side, frowning at the wall. He wouldn't love her anymore. In fact, he would hate her, she knew that he would. He was so peaceful and loving and she destroyed things, she burned things.

He was everything good in the world. And she was the weapon that destroyed the good.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Aliruko hummed to herself, setting her tea kettle on her small table with a smile. She enjoyed her quaint life, especially over the years. Her figure had grown slimmer and finally, finally, she felt like life was going places for her. A young man in the village was even showing interest in her which made her skin glow.

A knock on the door made her glance up, and humming still, she threw open the door with a wide smile.

"Hello!" she exclaimed. "How may I-" Aliruko's eyes widened and she froze, staring in shock at the figure before her. "C-Char?" she stammered.

She stood aside and he quickly entered her home, glancing around first to see if anyone was watching. He still looked the same- the same hardness in his eyes and the same lock of brown hair over his eyes, although at the moment, he looked as if he hadn't bathed in a couple of days.

"What are you doing here?" Aliruko whispered, staring at the man, shock still in her eyes.

Char glanced around, scoffing at the room and looked at Aliruko. "I've come back…because we have new orders…"

Aliruko swallowed hard and shook her head. "No, no, Char, I can't do that. After the last time…I just…" Aliruko paused, remembering the way her friend had looked, the pain that traveled throughout her whole body. "I can't do it."

Char took a step towards her. "That didn't stop you before…" he whispered, and Aliruko shook her head again, harder this time.

"No, no, things have changed, Char… It's been sixteen years… Kaori, she's had two more children, one just born as of a couple days ago, and a son of ten years… I've…I've helped raise these children, I've held them in my own arms and I've seen both Kaori and the exiled prince grow as well…They want nothing to do with the Fire Nation anymore," Aliruko exclaimed, careful to keep her voice low enough so the neighbors would not hear her.

Char stared long and hard at Aliruko and then chuckled softly. He reached forward, putting a hand against Aliruko's cheek, which she smiled a little into. "My dear Aliruko…" he whispered lovingly, and slowly his eyes turned cold. "Do…you…not…understand? I said we had orders."

Grabbing her by the hair, he threw her into the wall, quickly holding her against it by her neck. Shrieking, Aliruko struggled in his grasp, her eyes wide with terror. Char smirked at her. "If you do not wish to lose your life…you will do as you are commanded. Your loyalties lie with the Fire Nation, not with some stupid island and it's rulers."

He leaned close to her and she could feel his hot breath against her face; it stunk of fish. "If you do not complete your orders…I will kill you…but first…I'll kill the precious children that you've come to love… I'll kill them slowly…painfully…and after you've watched the last drop of blood flow out of them, I'll kill you,"

"No," Aliruko whispered. "You can't, they're just children…"

Char laughed, pulling on her hair, "The Fire Nation will not be put off by a couple of children! We have our orders and they will be completed or I swear…" Roughly, he let her go, watching as she slid to the ground. "I will follow through with my threat if you do not comply,"

Smiling, he took a step backwards, towards the door. "Now, dear woman, I'm going to make my way back into hiding. I will be back soon," Reaching into his shirt, he took out an envelope, placing it on the table. With a wink, he exited the room, leaving Aliruko to sit alone.

Trembling, she got to her feet, holding onto the wall for support. With horror in her veins, she slowly picked up the envelope that Char had placed on the table. Tears fell from her eyes, but she popped the seal, taking the letter from the inside. These were her orders.

Failure to comply meant death.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Kaori watched as Heero leapt towards a bull frog, trying to pounce on it. The young boy fell forward, tripping on a rock, and the frog bounced away, croaking the whole time. Kaori laughed, coming over to where her son lay and she picked him up.

"I almost had him," Heero assured her, his expression serious.

"I saw," Kaori replied, smiling at him. She kissed his forehead and then readjusted him in her arms. "Goodness, you're getting so big!" She glanced over her shoulder, looking at Zuko, and handed Heero to him. "Feel how heavy your son is getting!"

Zuko smiled and raised his eyebrows, carefully considering this and then nodding at Heero, who waited anxiously for an answer. "Very heavy; I'd swear you've gained a few pounds in just a day,"

Heero grinned widely. "It's because I'm strong! I'm a warrior!"

Kaori laughed and sat down next to a small, wooden stroller where Jin lay asleep, her eyes still a mystery to the world. "You are a warrior!" she exclaimed, laughing again as she watched Heero, now on the ground, roll around, punching into the air.

"Will you spar with me?" Heero asked Zuko, tugging on his shirt. "Please, please, please, pretty, pretty please,"

With a glance over at Kaori, who shrugged her shoulders, Zuko relented. "Just for a little…" he said at last, smiling at Heero's whoops of joy. Being a father had been easier than he thought it would have been- he knew exactly how not to be. With Heero, he tried to be fair and strict, yet he let his son know that he loved him. Heero, Kaori, Jin- they were his life, 100%. He needed them, would protect them with his own life, a dedication his father had seemed to lack.

Kaori watched the two men in her life, laughing when Heero would make a face at Zuko. Heero…he had grown so much, and yet his heart was still gold. He was such a strong willed boy, stubborn at times, but what boy wasn't? She knew that it bothered him though that he had shown no signs of being an air bender or a fire bender, a quiet shock that had come to the village. Still, what Heero lacked in bending, he made up for in courage.

"Kaori?"

Rather startled, Kaori turned around, smiling when she saw that it was just her friend. "Aliruko," she said, waving the girl forward. "Come, sit with me, I'm just watching two children-" she emphasized children with a giggle, "at play"

Aliruko stepped forward slowly, and Kaori frowned, noticing how the girl's hands were shaking. "Aliruko…" she muttered. "What's…what's the matter?"

Aliruko stood before her friend, fear in her eyes. "I…I need to tell you something…because you are my best friend…something that is-"

A cry from Jin cut her off and Kaori winced apologetically. She picked up the baby, shushing her and rocking her in her arms. Smiling down at Jin, Kaori then looked at Aliruko, who stared at the child with a new terror in her eyes- a terror that Kaori knew nothing of.

"What were you saying, Aliruko?" Kaori asked, her eyes bright with concern and worry.

Aliruko took a step back, looking at Jin and then at Heero, then finally, letting her eyes rest upon Kaori. She swallowed hard, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "Nothing," she said at last. "Nothing important, it can wait,"

She turned quickly, leaving Kaori confused where she sat. She crumpled the letter in her hands quickly, throwing it into a pond that she passed by. The ink ran off the page, turning it into nothing but smears, completely unreadable.

Tragedies happened, Aliruko thought to herself, but if she could save the children, then it would be alright.

Even if it cost her friend everything she loved.


End file.
